I am so terribly sorry Bridget Shoo and Theresa!

Honestly, today was like an un-scripted day that went really well. =) I’m worn thin of what energy I have left though.

Morning – woke up early to go Raffles Medical for pre-employment check up. Goodness. One BIG advice to people going – drink loads of water beforehand okay. Cos’ they need samples of you know what. Noelle! I think I din drink enough water in the morning hahaha. Oh wells – then I did a scary X Ray scan – which I’m getting super paranoid about cos’ the lady was dodgy about the reasons why she had to send it for “futher analysis by the Radiographer”. Dang, I was really quite unnerved by her lah.

After which, I went to do something on my things to do list – that is to go to the viewing mall and just sit around to pen down my thoughts on my journal. Being in T3, ah – it has its own special feelings it invokes within me. I was disturbed by school children on their learning journey though – sigh.

Afternoon – rushed to meet Mr Fun to attend a Halogen leadership session at Choa Chu Kang Secondary. It was nice catching up with him the day before at Shoduku – and listening to him talk about army (hahahahah) over Yat Kun coffee. Missed half of the session – but was quite an eye opener none-the-less. My heart is still with helping teens through drama – and Ms Nora has yet to get back to me =(

Being early – I decided to go gym with ABIGAL! =) I was really inspired by an article I was reading about rowing lah – so I got ready the rowing regime and headed to our favourite Bedok gym to row =) Not bad leh, we rowed for half an hour, cycled for 20, then did some weights. As I exclaimed while doing planks – “I’ve found an exercise partner in you abby! =)” Must repeat telecast please. Mel – next time we all go okay! (oh we saw the channel U beauty pageant guy, the eurasian one, not that we were very much interested..)

Then I headed to church for DYTM Meeting!!! After a rest, all our ideas came back! Hahaha – the teens will be in for a surprise, I think our creative juices are mad today. “Creepy Kid Crystal and Willy Wonka.”

Since Crystal drove, we all wanted to test drive in her car! So we headed to Siglap to have some desert! And we ended up at Royales playing with their lego! LEGO IS SO FUN, and still is fun. We plonked down and (okay, ari’s chasing me to blog finish!) ate cakes and just talked about life, goals and our thoughts on spirituality – including Bridget’s story/or her friends. It totally made my day. I seriously wanted to just go home and nuah already – but I guess I could not have passed up sitting in Crystal’s car! – and yes, I was blessed with even more, lovely company to end the night.

And the lovely company goes on the midnight. As I started up my super slow computer – ARI PLANE and I decided to be good Warwick freshies and start mugging up on accommodation! We multi-tasked, shared our experiences on losing stuff (yes I’ll buy springys and beepers!), realised we both loved Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, and CORRINNE MAY – (no kid Ari!). And we created our more-or-less finalized list! =) Clap hands to us Ari! =)

Quoth the airplane woman, Ms Real Estate 2008:

Ari says:
hahaha our personal description same same, I DON’T WANT TO STAY IN ROOTES I HATE CLUBBING hahaha

I’m so worn out by today there’s only one thing I want to say:

Today, while Steph was half mad and delirious due to her lack of sleep/travelling around Singapore – she asked her driving instructor KK – “gear one more power/rev right? “, remembering what Benny Boy used to tell her.

While he replied “don’t bluff me”, Steph quickly added – what rubbish, let me try!!!
Go try lah!
What? On the circuit?
Yah.
Seriously??!!
Yah.
Okay =)

-And I stepped on the accelerator to the max at gear one. vroooooooom was my answer. (Through the entire lane!)

So cheap thrill right?

ABIGAL – Just wanted to say I’m sorry. Take a hiatus okay? I wanted to say you can jio me go out drink nice coffee- but I’m all for seclusion, so go ahead and grab your own hammock and tree and just enjoy the solace. Either that, you can ask me out to enjoy solace together at different trees with different hammocks.

Today was basically this: Church – lunch – go get camera (thanks papa! =)) – chill out at gloria jeans – rush to meet Abby and Mel – rush home for tuition – rush to Cathay to meet Mel for Get Smart – ended up walking around to kill time before movie.

I finally got a new camera – one that starts up within 1 sec, and not 7 secs! And have a big enough screen to see what I’m capturing. Yes, I’m still sad about the Ixus I left on the KLM plane. It’s a sad departure.

Get Smart was funny – but every one was like “GO WATCH IT IS SO FUNNY” that I think I got my expectations too high! I found Kung Fu Panda funnier and more heartwarming – and Rush Hour Three more memorable – I mean, who can forget the YOU YOU MEE MEE part hahahahahahahahaa. Thank you Melly for watching it with me – especially since we used up the free ticket.

Nonetheless – brainless and stressless, I like! I finally got to use my 1 year ago free movie ticket. I got it at a youth event held in June 2007, thinking whoa – why they put the expiration date as 30th June 2008???!!! And was at awe at its absurdity at how someone can not use a free movie ticket within a year, let alone a month etc.

Tsk tsk. (k, i’m guilty)

Anyhooos – thank you Jensen! for giving me a random call just now just to catch up (in about 5 mins!) Have safe trip back home and yes, we shall meet up before September okie? (So does the rest of oh three oh six!!! Dudes, I wanna play cooking mama. And to my fellow 3rd Novvy, what happened to our happening-ness!? hahaha – catch up yea??)

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In about 9 hours time, I’ll be signing thick stacks of papers with my parents at my side in my future workplace.

I must say its surreal – almost unimportant really. It’s just signatures right? But after joking with Yong Long on how absurd it sounded when I was told – “Steph, you need to sign the papers before you go for the tea session” just so I am “verified” and “qualified” in black and white, I realised – it’s not really a “haha” thing anymore.

I’m excited- opening a new chapter in my life – entering Warwick, making new friends, writing new stories, painting new landscapes under the same sunlight -> while it is a documentation chore/wait for the HR officers to watch me pen down my initials – it becomes my little ceremony of embracing this unknown future ahead of me, come what may.

I was talking to Augustine that day – and we both agreed that now is the best time to record all my feelings, my thoughts, my ideals, my goals, my take on life etc etc etc etc – keep it down in a journal, and promise not to open it till 20 years later or somewhat. It will be such a out of world experience to read something from a 19-yr-old you, when you are 40 yrs old or something. Try it try it try it!

Today was a pow-wow day – I almost had trouble sleeping last night cos’ I din think I would gather enough “glucose” to run the race.

My morning was really fun though – I went to make friends with the uncles and aunties in the wet market hahahah – by asking them to recommend me stuff to buy. I stupidly went to order like 30 curry puffs from an indian lady I was talking to and she was like:”yah yah, 11 o click okie~”

I waited till 12.

Nevermind the fact that I was running late/ no, LATE for botanic gardens picnic – in between 10.45-11.15 I realised I ran out of oregano and had to rush all the way down to Cold Storage at KALLANG LEISURE just to get Oregano. Then rush to the indian lady – only to realise she haven’t got the curry puffs (Oh, i needed it for the DYTM night event). I ended up spending an hour at the stall – and with my boredom of lack of speech, I started talking to her about all the different curry powders! hahaha. Not bad man – I realised, rather than get angry with her and start like getting “urgh” over it at her stall would: 1. Make her do weird stuff to the curry puff. 2. Make my wait even more unbearable.

So, I decided to learn the art of cooking curry from her. HAHA.

Anyhoos – I rushed down to Botanic Gardens in my father’s car — He’s going to Novena with Mummy =)) So happy for him really. (Lourdes did him some change. =)) The picnic was really nice lah!!! I enjoyed it not only because of the company I was getting to know (aka my school mates! =)), but the face that it was held in the lovely greens. Lovely place to get to know people! I like the nuahhhh. (we had so much fooood! And I finally tried Chloe’s muffins! And met Claire (after a long time!))

Guess who I saw – Mark Tan and Clareeee! Hahaha. Super small world can! Clare, if you’re reading this, you better study hard and get to UK okay. Remember YOUR GOAL. Haha. =)

Anyways – I had to leave mid way to go home to prepare for DYTM – bring all the food over to church and all to set up. Thank you Crystal for opting to come down to help me lug all the food. It was crazy: fishballs, sausages, pasta(again.), curry puffs.. the fish balls were mad lah. So many! The people who came eventually used them as forfeit.

First Session of Dare You To Move
The first session went well – the food was settled, the projector etc… Even last minute nightmares like Stephanie forgetting to upload the Bicentennial Man video was promptly solved by an angel- Auntie Audrey who, allowed me to use the computer and OPEN A NEW PACK OF THUMBDRIVE. =) Father Chris came down to see also – quite nice lah =)

The games went well and all – and really, the session went smoothly. Leonard was super smooth in his presentation, Crystal was her confident self, Bridget/Sharon/Kenneth were interacting with the participants and did a great job facilitating. (I could tell just watching!) And what’s more, there’s time for sharing – amidst planning a event. C, L and I sat down with the “oldies” and reflected on the topic of fame/celebrities and Jesus. Linda’s sharing was especially affirming. With Corrinne May playing in the background – I felt at peace.

6 months of discussion, hours of meetings – and it culminated in this session (and 2 more coming up).

Some how, after the session, when Leonard went and ask feedback, some said it was just like cat class. I guess it was unexpected for most of us – since we really wanted something different.

Still, I am affirmed. I am affirmed by the look on the teens’ faces as they listen to James’ sharing, by their enthusiasm in the games, by the post-session supper-cum-indian poker game they partook in, by the sense of smoothness in how everything went. Though not many people came, it was a nice number – cosy, and comfortable.

We had a short de-brief, and all I could say is: we were all exhausted.
As I waited for the bus home, I simply thought of the entire session. Why do we feel exhausted? I wanted to just go home and sit down and not think – my exhausted body was wheeling itself lifelessly from living room to room to bathroom.

Then something made me open “Personal Notes of Bernadette Soubirous” that I bought in Lyon – and this struck me. (She’s St Bernadette)

“I am so tired in the morning. This reminds me of the temptation of Father Avlia who, one day, hesitated through weariness to continue on his way to celebrate mass. Our Lord appeared to him showing him the wound on his heart, reminding him that weariness had not prevented him from going to the summit of Calvary. Courage!”

It made my night so much better – and soothed it with a peaceful understanding that my tiredness is shared with someone else as well. I want and will share this with you – Crystal, Leonard, Raymond, Bridget (those present at the de-brief, as well as Carisia in Bangkok), courage! As we dare people to move closer to Him, so are we, dared to move and trudge through heavy, heavy waters. Thank you for being my rocks in the currents – that I can hang on to.

Let’s continue – challenged, and renewed.

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It happened aptly. I was just thinking about Young Change Makers this morning when Edmund messaged me they were meeting up to catch up. I remembered why I decided to leave YCM, because I wanted to have more time serving in Youth Council. And really, I had no regrets – the heart of service in both organisations is different. In a governmental-related youth body, the heart of service is ambiguous, even for myself. But in a christ-centered environment (read: HF, KC) , the heart of service is not necessary easy to find, but clear cut.

I realize I need to keep reminding myself that – where my source of fuel lies. Its so easy to do do do do do and not realize the whole purpose of it.

Caught this on the facebook group of YFP.

I miss you guys!!!!

I am currently watching the Price is Right (I prefer the Bob version!) and guess what’s for bid! – A HAMMOCK.

I seriously put a big sign on my things to do list – Get a Hammock, go to favorite spot in ECP and read John C Maxwell with Journal at hand.

Can’t wait. I wanted to lay my hands on a rainbow hammock I saw at the Louvre Museum -one of the shops – but it was too heavy man.

Anyways – I spent my morning really fruitfully =) -somewhat. I woke up at 11 plus (hey I slept at 2 plus!) and went quickly to the wet market at Old Airport Road to check out cheap fishballs for this Saturday’s Dare You To Move events. Whoa, not bad leh. $4 for 25 fishballs – too bad I was late (in wet market standards) so I ended up reserving 4 packets – and promised to go there again.

What got me really excited was the fact that: FairPrice is open at Old Airport!!! Super market! whoots! Its really small though – at 11 a.m., I was jostling with aunties and uncles and maids to get chicken franks and cutlery for DYTM. Then I went to some unknown bakery to get bread, and makan yummy fish soup at old airport.

=) I love my home! I hope we don’t kena en bloc, especially since the “dakota residences” is opening right opposite my flat and KILLING EVERY GREENERY THERE IS – that I so fancy whilst running along the canal. My mom was super funny lah – last Sunday when SUPER ALOT OF PEOPLE came down to see the showroom – we went as well. The sales pitch was “its next to the river etc..” My mom was like – not river lah, Longkang can!

That’s true.

Haha – anyways I went home and started chopping the franks since I was inspird by the Rachel Ray show. That show’s not bad!! And guess who knocked on the door: The DHL MAN, with THE package —-> from Warwick! =)

My anticipation for Warwick has been growing ever since the Europe trip I had with my family. The growing wanderlust – the msn conversations that stretch to midnight – the skypes with Claire and conversations with YL over the accomodation (and their innate aversion towards ensuites.) – and today -> the package. =)

I glanced through the stuff and was really glad to read the Religion bit of the documents – and there’s a Catholic society there! =)

We are a new society only founded in 2005. We support the work of Fr. Prem, the Catholic Chaplain, and the rest of the Chaplaincy community.

*points at last sentence: cheers to ecumenism! =)

Yesterday was great fun – finally physically met Chloe and Oliver (Sam could not make it =( – cos’ of her interview with a professor) and we ate at Chicago’s Steakhouse – if I am not wrong. The portions are scarily big lah! But not bad food really – great company, what I can say. =) Then Chloe and I went Carrefour shopping for this Saturday’s Botanical Gardens outing. Chloe, you are mad lugging those potatoes and laptop home!

Anyhoos – I forgot to mention MEETING THE LOVELY INTERNS OF MCYS last Friday night at Bakerzin! =) We just started talking and talking and talking, it din matter whether we had a place to sit or not, we started talking outside Coffee Club, standing around – until Jon had to leave for more “happening activities!” hahahaha. I miss our rubbish moments at work together lah. Haha. T’was nice just catching up!

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I met an angel in disguise yesterday =) (inspired by G2’s concert haha)
Someone on the bus nudged me and told me my ten dollar note from my back pocket was coming out. =) Though it was a small gesture – I’m sure silly steph would not even notice if someone took it lah.

Made my day! =)

**and yes Seha! Someone offered to give me 60cents for bus rides! =)

-mean while, the swimming pool beckons! – going to meet Abby, Mel and Shuhua! =)

As I travelled on the buses to my repetitive destinations today – making my way to places – taka, then Bugis, then CDC Driving centre, then Bugis again, then head home for tuition – a misconception I had for a long time unveiled itself while my mind was doing its usuah round-about, mad thought cycles.

When I was asked yesterday about how have I “seized the day” – I merely listed down the “things I did” list of the day. I have long referred to carpe diem (yes I know it sounds cliche already! Its a beautiful saying – but just pasted everywhere and anywhere and not recognized for its lovely meaning —>watch Dead Poets’ Society!) as having a day that was fulfilling – doing alot of things at the same time etc.

Honestly – I’m really glad those days lulled somehow. Though, there are remnants of it occasionally popping up in my calendar.

What sparked my lazy (very very) computer self to blog about it was an interview for a sales/retail job today. Stephanie, thinking she could spend her time fruitfully working at a shop promoting items, decided to go for the job and all. But during the interview – I realised that as I spelt out my time that I was free to the interviewer who was processing in her head, I saw my visual calendar in my head having more strikes than I would have liked it to be.

I realised: how much I probably did not treasure this rare freedom of this time of my life.

I had the freedom to plan my week to the needs of the week – all the meetings, things I need to do, friends I need to meet up! – and I was happily locking it in and striking it off. It dawned upon me that even though money may be tight some way or another – I rather have this time for things that mean most to me. Especially since, after Uni – I’ll probably be on the road of work and life, as always has its currents to push every one of us everywhere.

Then the snowball of thoughts continued -

Seizing the day – and living it out to the fullest is not packing your calendar with events, things to do, nor is it the miles you have traveled from place to place. It is about living and leaving each day knowing that at the end of the day, whether or not you went through 10000 miles of walking, you were thankful for what had happened.

I think I should start being thankful for: anything that makes me re-think my perspectives, anything that questions my goals and intentions, anything that makes me feel “yep, I better change that side of me”, even a boring day at home – spent alone reading books, a failed attempt at driving, a realization of how much my parents love me through a small gesture, an enlightened way of looking at things, a needed hug from a friend, 60 cents from a complete stranger to take the bus, a random sms from someone metaphorically faraway, a lovely “how are you doing?” from Joshua, a faith encounter that questions, enlightens and deepens.

Thus, seizing the day does not become an activity log, it becomes a perspective on how much one believes it was indeed a day well spent.

Seizing the day means so many things to so many individuals – for me, I’m putting a big reminder sign in that brain: Look at the small little hidden things that does not appear in the “to-do list”.

Haha. That was what my lousy attempt to multi-task got me into.

Currently I m watching the episodes of Lost I missed and yes, I can’t beleive Ben cooks!

Finally catching up on Lost =)

Anyways – I am currently resting from a 2 week break to Europe with my family – and yes, it was really beautiful – will blog more about it in a new blog or somewhat.

I caught Kung Fu Panda yesterday with er jie! =) And its really really really funny – I am totally in love with it. – so much so, not to watch the very dramatic and stressful episodes of Lost just so I can keep the happy endorphins in me! =)

lah-da-dar – i shall go back to Lost, gmail, skype – boo to new age technology sometimes. =(

*I want my old driving instructor =((((