Ok, just came off watching the last 20 minutes of the Bolton - Arsenal match as well as the full Man Utd - Aston Villa match.

I'd have to say, Bolton really threw it away. When you're 2-0 up against 10 men the very last thing you'd expect is to lose 2-3 in the end. Arsenal were thoroughly brilliant for the last 3rd of the match and fully deserve their win, but without the brilliance and utter abjectness of Wenger and Megson's respective tactical abilities the result would have gone Bolton's way. It certainly felt like Bolton went 2-0 up by pure chance and Megson had no idea what to do with it. No surprise where they are in the table, with such a manager in charge.

United match now. First full match I've personally seen since the 4-0 win over Kiev way back in the Champions League group stages. Didn't disappoint, we out-passed, out-played, out-ran, out-everything Villa. The match began promisingly for neutrals and Villa, but as soon as we got our first goal it felt like Villa were just going through the motions. For much of the match it felt like playing the match was just a formality on the way to a United win. That's not taking anything away from the United team though; we were fantastic in attack and solid in defence. Ronaldo got a goal and 3 assists, Rooney got 2 goals and should have had a hat-trick with the chances he had. We blew them away, there really isn't much else to be said about the match.

A few points to be made about Football Channel's coverage:

1. Rob Lee is a pretty good pundit. Viable views, well articulated commentary.

2. Joe Morrison's presenting skills are EXTREMELY poor.

3. John Burridge is a complete fucking idiot.

Extension on point 3: He thinks he's done fuck all in football, talking like he's some retired superstar. Hello, fucktard, you were nothing more than a regular keeper. Stop behaving like you're Johan Cryuff. The way he's going on, it's like a postman criticising the way a top-rank general leads his troops. Utter bullshit.

Anyway, good scores all round. Would have preferred if Bolton could have hung on, but meh, whatever. 4-0 and we're going strong. Roma's up next, they'll be tough that's for sure.

Here's hoping Chelsea slip up in their match!

So! My birthday today!

Well, only a handful wished me happy birthday today. I don't mind it; after all, I'm not a high-profile sort of guy, so I wouldn't realistically expect more anyway.

Let's name those who did: Yan Ling (first, haha), Tommy, Pui Jun, Dan Hui, Eugene, Yang Yue, Boon Wei, Abygail, Mabel and James. I had to 'remind' Eugene and Abby though, haha.

I have to say, I was surprised Pui Jun remembered. The others would have their own means and ways to remember these things; either they're close friends or they seem the type to mark down such dates. Pui Jun doesn't strike me as the sort to do so, and while we're good friends I wouldn't exactly say we were that close, so it was a nice little surprise.

Didn't do much to celebrate, as has always been the case. Just a nice little dinner at Hans with the family. Sadly, my mother couldn't join us as she had a slight case of food poisoning from last night's dinner. I do hope she gets well soon.

17. Doesn't have the ring that 16 or 18 have, but a nice number nevertheless.

17. 1+7=8, a lucky number. Hahaha, my superstitious side is kicking in again.

17. Here's to a new year of my life!

17!

Half hour. Seventeen.

I... Don't know what to feel? Haha. Probably because I don't exactly feel top of the world at the moment. I don't even know why. Well actually I do, of course, but I don't understand why I'm feeling like that. Therefore the 'don't know why'.

Shit. I'm unable to put what I'm feeling in words. Guess it'll just have to be kept inside until it passes then. It will pass. Hopefully soon.

17.

Well, just had an enforced change of blogskin.

That old one went all kablooey for god-knows-why. Pretty frustrating. It's a shame too, cos I really liked that old skin.

Oh well, life goes on. I just want to (can't believe I'm doing this again so soon) REALLY thank Mabel for her help in this. I don't care, okay, I owe you. Lol

Really got nothing much to say though... So, till next time!

Stuck at home today with phlegmy cough, sore throat... The flu, basically.

It's just another few weeks till the longest holiday I've ever had (and probably ever will have) ends. Have I done enough in it? Probably, but I don't have high standards as to what I want or like to do. A day at home can be appreciated for the tranquility it provides (though if I were still in the east it'd be even better). A day out in town with friends is... A day out in town with friends. Hahahaha. A day with the family is essential, at least occasionally. My family members' (me included) all have flaws, of one kind or another, but family is family.

It's been a thought-provoking holiday. Both material thoughts and more... Shall we say... Spiritual thoughts. Some regrets, some relief, some hope, some indifferent. A whole mix bag. But then, what can you expect from someone who's spent 6 months on his keister with no school, eh? Hahaha.

On a sidenote, do I sound very melancholy in my blog? I think I do, which is weird, cos unless I consciously state as such in the post, usually I'm quite chipper. I guess alot of my times of simple happiness (the simple joy of hanging out and talking with friends, for example) are most easily described in Singlish. I don't like typing in Singlish, however, or in any other adulteration of the English language. I have no qualms over speaking Singlish and in whatever other local slang, but typing and writing is different. It sounds kinda dumb and maybe highly eccentric of me, but I feel English is sacred. A few of my friends know how anal retentive I can get over grammatical or vocabulary mistakes. Quirk of mine, haha.

So anyway, I guess I just want to say that I have a very weird problem with expressing joy through words. Or at least, I can only do so if I actually really do experience 'JOY' in the purest sense of the word, that being a higher level of happiness. If I'm merely 'normal' or 'happy' or 'satisfied' I think all my words can be construed to be spoken in a melancholy manner, which is totally wrong. I'm too literal for my good sometimes, heh.

My cough is killing me. I hope I can fall asleep easy tonight (had trouble a couple of nights back in the same task). I gotta wake up early, going to see my family doctor who's all the way in the east. Somehow, going back to my spiritual home nullifies the shittiness of having to wake up early on a Sunday.

Fuck, I miss the east.

Fate has been kind to me.

One way or another, I've managed to avoid what could have been the biggest disasters in my personal life. Hindsight is always 20/20, of course, but nevertheless.

Things I've heard recently have made me realise just how lucky I am. For all of the perceived (on my part) inadequacies in my life, there's still this feeling that I have some sort of divine shield (WoW reference hah) cast around me, preventing me from sustaining any serious injuries to my psyche, to my soul. I suppose it's just as well; I'm sensitive in that department. Sometimes a little too much. I have to check myself sometimes.

The biggest question as regards this would be when to feel the way I do and when to brush it off as nothing much. I do wonder.

In more personal news, I've been doing some soul searching lately. All I've found is that I'm an unintentional hypocrite.

I am open-minded, yet narrow-minded at the same time.

I strongly believe in my principles, yet seriously doubt them at the same time.

I like my approach, my philosophy, to life - yet strongly question its effectiveness.

I love what I am and hate what I am simultaneously.

I always ponder: is what I am now all that I am, with no more strings to be unravelled? Or is there much more to come, to change me all over again? Does my life have a higher meaning or will I go the route that I envisage at this point of time?

I realise I'm still only 16 (17 in 9 days! *hint hint*), but still, such questions bug me. I still have my whole life ahead of me, and I haven't even started tertiary education yet, so probably, everything can change again. I went into secondary school a naive, well-meaning person, and came out still somewhat (though considerably less) naive, but incredibly cynical and with what I consider to be a broken, or at least severely damaged, spirit.

That said, a genuine feeling of optimism fills me everyday. There are still so many things to be happy for, to look forward to. I suppose that's why I always seem so laid-back; in every dark cloud I manage to find the silver lining. Sometimes two! I laugh in the face of adversity. Foolhardy, sometimes. I might rub people the wrong way because of this too. Misery loves company after all, but when the company is a cheery sonofabitch you'd be put off wouldn't you.

So while I keep searching for answers to my varied and deeply psychological questions I live a cheerful life. Helps that I've got 'divine protection', hahah.

I just woke from the weirdest dream.

Of course, some details are fuzzy... I never really do remember my dreams. Also, the dream was fragmented into a few different parts, sort of like in a comedy sketch show, little bits of different sections. There's almost no (or none at all) continuity between the different parts too, so don't try to connect them. Well, here goes:

I dreamt I was back in sec school. My bio teacher, who is usually a very nice and calm teacher (the sort that never, ever scolds, no matter what) apparently gave us worksheets in our lockers (which were, in my dream, located outside our classroom. Flashback to primary school...?) which we were supposed to bring to lab with us (we were in lab). When a number of us turned up without the worksheets she blasted us to run back to get it. Obviously I was one of those who had to run back. Xun Hao and I shared a locker, and while he managed to get his quick, mine seemed to be lost in the mess of papers in the locker. I took about 5-10 minutes longer getting the worksheet, then ran back to lab. Just because I took that much longer, when I got back I got an absolute tongue lashing from my bio teacher, and she hit pretty below the belt with some of her comments (I can't remember what they were, but they were pretty personal, some of them). We were left to do our own work after she was done, and I was visibly hurt, I think. After a little while she came over and apologized, sounding more like the bio teacher I know in real life. When she walked away, the girl sitting in front of me WHO WAS NOT FROM MY UPPER SEC CLASS BUT RATHER FROM MY LOWER SEC CLASS, turned around and comforted me abit before TELLING ME SHE LIKED ME. She also asked if we could give 'us' a trial run, and if it worked out we could get together.

Okay, end of that part. I'm sure most of you would be laughing/choking/raising eyebrows at that last part right there. Believe you me, I was as surprised as any of you guys, both in the dream and out of it.

Anyway, the other parts of my dream are far more fuzzy, and significantly shorter than that first part:

One was that I was at some kind of party with friends, although the only person I remember from it was Tommy (Wong). I can't say for sure but I think it was some kind of new year party or something... Well to give you an idea of the setting, we were all holding wine glasses and dressed in smart-casual. I don't remember any of the things said by anyone in that dream, only that Tommy proposed a toast of some kind.

The final, pretty much non-exciting part of my dream basically involved walking around a place that looked suspiciously like a cross between an MRT station and an airport (MRT architecture, but as big as an airport) with Eugene and James. We were talking about various things as we walked around, but the only thing I can remember is that the two of them insisted that Mas Selamat Kastari (if you don't know who that is, get out from under your rock) had been recaptured but I was adamant that he hadn't. The two of them were so insistent though, it felt like it was true.

So yeah, there's my dream. There might have been some things that I clean forgot. I may have dreamt about alot of other things, for example. Surreal shit, eh?

Well then.

Had a busy few days. Fun times though, so I'm quite happy at the moment. Got a few more insights into which laptop to get for poly. It won't be something to powerful, considering I've already got a pretty good desktop.

Next week will be busy as well, with one thing or another. Also found out that school starts on the 7th of the next month for me. Slack days are coming to an end =/. But I'll look forward rather than backward.

I don't have much to say, honestly. Just gonna end off with saying that I'm totally hooked on these 2 songs at the moment, both by The Police. Till next time then!




The Police - Can't Stand Losing You

I've called you so many times today
And I guess it's all true what your girlfriends say
That you don't ever want to see me again
And your brother's gonna kill me and he's six feet ten
I guess you'd call it cowardice
But I'm not prepared to go on like this

I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't
I can't stand losing you
I can't stand losing you
I can't stand losing you
I can't stand losing you

I see you've sent my letters back
And my LP records and they're all scratched
I can't see the point in another day
When nobody listens to a word I say
You can call it lack of confidence
But to carry on living doesn't make no sense

I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing
I can't, I can't
I can't stand losing

I guess this is our last goodbye
And you don't care so I won't cry
But you'll be sorry when I'm dead
And all this guilt will be on your head
I guess you'd call it suicide
But I'm too full to swallow my pride

I can't stand losing you




The Police - Roxanne

Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light
Those days are over
You don't have to sell your body to the night

Roxanne
You don't have to wear that dress tonight
Walk the streets of money
You don't care if it's wrong or if it's right

Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light
Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light

Roxanne (Put on the red light)
Roxanne (Put on the red light)
Roxanne (Put on the red light)
Roxanne (Put on the red light)
Roxanne (Put on the red light)
Roxanne

I loved you since I knew you
I wouldn't talk down to you
I have you to tell just how I feel
I won't share you with another boy

I know my mind is made up
So put away your make up
Told you once I won't tell you again
It's a bad way

Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light
Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light

Roxanne (Put on the red light)
Roxanne (Put on the red light)
Roxanne (Put on the red light)


According to the computer clock, it's currently 12.04am, March the 1st.

I always had an affinity with the month of March, which is weird, cos only a few important events occur during this month.

1) My birthday haha. That's at the end of the month, on the 28th.

2) The birthday of my best pal, Boon Wei. That's 9 days before mine, on the 19th.

3) The birthday of another good friend, Timothy. Now I don't keep in touch with him much anymore, though when we talk we do as if we never stopped. That's brilliant, and I wish that were the case with every friend I know now, or will ever know in my life. At any rate though I forgot the exact date of his birthday, haha. If I'm not wrong it's on the 21st.

4) Usually it's the month of the first school holidays. This year it doesn't matter for me, of course.

And see, that's all really. Only 4 things. However I think I feel this special connection with the month because of very fact that points 1, 2 and 3 are for real. I'll just recount one little tale to illustrate how close the 3 of us were back in Primary School:

It was... Primary 5. Yep, I remember. Register number-wise, Boon was 3rd last, Timo was 2nd last and I was the magical number 40, as I usually was every year in Primary School. Now usually this wouldn't be anything special (the register numbers), but, as you know, during exams we sat according to our register numbers. So, while for most people it meant a minor upheaval in their sitting neighbours, for us it was like 'FUN TIME!' or something, haha.

Now, we were all already good friends by this time, so it's not like we only got to know each other that year, or anything like that. There was this other kid in our class, let's just keep him nameless eh? (Ehhehehehe) This kid was, well, abit of a twat (warning: UNDERSTATEMENT). It'd been that way since Pri 2, I think. Allow me to state an example as to how unpopular he was: At the start of every year there was the swearing in of prefects, right? Well, if the person up there was popular there'd probably be cheers, and applause was the norm for everyone else. When this dude went up (yea he was a prefect, don't ask me why or how), not only was there silence, there was a smattering of boos too. AT PRIMARY 3! You'd have to be seriously unpopular to get BOOS AT PRIMARY 3. That's how twat-ish he was.

So, back to the main story. Seated in the exam seating arrangement, the three of us were together and we decided to straighten out this guy abit. Now, exams were only 4 days long back then, and usually there'd be just over a week left to the holidays after the exams, right? All this occurred in that slack period of time. So everyday we'd go to class, the teacher would just say something like 'Go do your own thing, don't make so much noise' and the class would start dividing up to the respective cliques, some play eraser games (you know them, with set rules of either 'flip to win only' or 'shoot off table for wins only' or both. Ahh, sweet nostalgia), some just talk, whatever. The three of us would usually just talk in between ourselves with some other guys joining in. Football, cartoons, erasers, girls (YES, EVEN BACK THEN LOL), whatever.

Now and then though, we'd either call this twat-ish guy over on the basis of 'talk football' or any other semi-plausible reason, and, slowly but very surely, would proceed to rip into him, and rip DEEP. We REALLY took the mickey out of him. The funny thing was, this happened almost on a daily basis, but he never decided to stay away. He'd fume off after one session, usually, but on a day-by-day basis, he never stayed away. Amazing, innit?

Now, go ahead and call us sadistic, but hell, back then, that guy DESERVED every metaphorical piece of crap we threw at him. Oddly enough, IT ACTUALLY WORKED, and the next year he was a much better person. He's since become an alright friend to all of us. However, I've heard some things in the past few months which suggest he's gone all twat-ish again, but in a different way. Don't really wish to go into that portion of it, cos I don't know the full details and I don't really care that much anyway.

It's odd what brings people close. In a sense, this twat helped the 3 of us become the best of pals. Boon and I still hang out alot, and Timo, as I've said, rarely speaks with me but he hasn't changed abit, meaning we're still good friends.

It's a special month. For those few years, my two closest friends had their birthdays within 9 days of mine. I don't really look too much into these kind of things nowadays, but this... Phenomenon has always stuck with me, even up till now.

I hope the people who read this post can laugh out loud in the process of doing so. I certainly did while typing it.

Have fun, guys! Till next time!

Abygail

Shi Kai

Tommy

Trumpets [Da Section]

Mabel

Samuel

Alter Ego

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