Dear blog,

as you would expect, nothing much has been happening during the holidays. It’s kinda odd actually, having a month long holiday at this time of the year. Believe it or not, we have another month-long holiday in December too.

Is there even such a thing as “too many holidays”? I really am beginning to think that there are too many holidays in an academic year. But then again, this isn’t just for ITE students, but for poly students too.

...well, not really.

Some people think keeping a blog is dumb. These people do make sense – I mean, come on. Why do you have to tell the whole world your grandfather/grandmother stories?

Personally, I keep this blog for myself. It isn’t for show. You’re simply an replacement for my diary, which i’ve been too lazy to write. Also, my diary could never fit it all my lengthy entries. Yeah bloggie, you’re essentially an efficient (and excellent) replacement for my diary. You’re basically my upsized diary. So, why do I keep a diary then? It’s strange, really. I’m not very fond of reading, but i’m actually kinda fond of writing. Formal writing, that is. Or rather, I have grown fond of formal writing. In any case, I think it is a good practice to keep a diary (in today’s modern age, a blog) just to reflect on yourself. I think keeping a diary/blog is really the best way to reflect on yourself for me, but different people have their different ways. I know some people who consider diaries/blogs as weaknesses. I find that strange, but you really can’t blame the rest of the world for not having the same mindset as you do. Afterall, everyone have their own ways. Or at least I hope they do.

Anyway, I realize that I have yet to tell you about the Taiwan trip that I have been mentioning lately. Well, starting with the obvious, I am going to Taiwan. It’s my first time going overseas on a plane. I’m really exited, flying on a plane, and for the first time, really seeing a different side to the world around me.

There is quite a load of activities that’s been lined up for us. To mention a few, mountain climbing, an exchange program with another school there, a hot spring, shopping, and bits of cultural exchange. Going to Taiwan as ETP club members, we are also learning about how the business activities are being carried out there. It all sounds exciting, doesn’t it? I pray nothing goes wrong. It’s going to be 4 short days there in Taiwan, and for the most part, I just want to have the time of my life on my first trip overseas.

I’m sharing rooms with Willi and Vincent. Very cool. In fact, the lecturers were nice enough to pair everyone with just their friends to share the same rooms. Sure, it’s not the best way to keep everyone from the club going tight together as a whole, and it’s definitely not the best way to get people out of their comfort zones; their cliques. But hey, if anything, I think the people in ITE are far more receptive and open to meeting new people as compared to anywhere else. Problem solved –literally.

Speaking of meeting new people, meet Ariel. She’s from SB too, but she doesn’t really mix around much with the other SB students going to the Taiwan trip. Perhaps she mixes with other people in her class, but after a very cute, loud, and enthusiastic hi from her, she was surprisingly quiet. I wouldn’t have thought she was a quiet person, but she actually is quieter than what she seems. Curious. o_O

We’re putting a dance for the exchange students – a Hindi dance at that. Oh man, to think that I am going to make a fool out of myself. I hope we’re not dancing on a stage, and hopefully, not to a big group of people either. And yeah, I happen to be dancing with a girl (well, looking on the bright side, it’s better than dancing with a guy).

Green club’s having a similar china trip too –but on a smaller scale, I guess (they’re flying via Tiger Airways). Ancherle’s going to china, and we were talking about the activities that we would be doing over a chat.

when I mentioned the dance we were doing, she asked me to film it down!

There is just 1 more practice session before we take off on the coming Thursday (24/09/09). Wish me luck dude! This is a rare and wonderful opportunity that I have. Above that, this is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Well, I should actually start packing already. I should stop hyping this up for myself (and for you), and just wait for the next “dance practice” session to be over on Tuesday, and then come Thursday, we’re off.

Bon Voyage!
ohmegodohmegodohmegodohmegodohmegodohmegodohmegodohmegodi’m so exited i’m so hyped up I can’t wait ohmegodohmegod

aaaaaand continuing, I can’t say how much I’m liking the Muse’s new songs from their new album, “Resistance”.

The 3 tracks I like are:
1) “Uprising”
2) “Resistance” (this be the title track of the album)
3) and my personal favorite, “Undisclosed Desires”. (yes, its the title of this blogpost too)

Undisclosed Desires, is, by far, my favorite track by Muse yet. I just love it so much.
In fact, go ahead and take a listen right now:

I love this song. It’s just really good, and the chorus is epic:

I want to reconcile the violence in your heart
I want to recognize your beauty's not just a mask,
I want to exorcise the demons from your past,
I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart

Amazing, amazing, amazing song. The chorus is just so powerful. The whole song is so liquid and has this nice flow to it; it isn’t too slow, neither is it too fast. This song has a slow, quiet adrenaline that builds up from the start, and dies off nice and simple at the ending. Each time the chorus comes up, this adrenaline is fueled, and reinforced.

This song, simply put, is one of the best I have in music this year, and thank god for that, because music has been crappy ever since the legendary 2007 came and vanished.

But that’s not the only song i’d like to share. As everyone knows, Eminem has made an odd return to the rap music scene, with his new album, “Relapse”. I thought the overrated hit single from that album, “We Made You” was a lackluster compared to all of his other older rap songs.

I made an assumption that Relapse would probably suck, that is, until I heard this song:

Honestly, i’ve never felt so much depth in any rap song before. The last rap song which I heard, had actual depth to it, was by Eminem himself too. That was Mocking Bird.

Basically, Eminem’s done it again. This song expresses so much emotion (mostly pain). And it’s a rap. Now, rap music never (seriously, NEVER) has any form of genuine depth or sadness to it – unless it’s by Eminem.

Eminem, it’s good to have you back.

Rascal Flatts has a new album too. I was curious, so I checked it out. I’m not sure if this has been released as a single yet (I certainly haven’t heard it on radio stations yet), but hell, this song is a bomb by Rascal Flatts. The whole summer spirit thing gets old (oh god, don’t remind me of HSM2), but no one does it like Rascal Flatts. This song’s a hit! (I know Ancherle likes this one)

Shakira’s back to do a lil’ more of English tracks, and this is the *official* follow-up to her previous worldwide English hit, Hips Don’t Lie, which featured Wyclef Jean. Shakira usually does Latin tango, or hell, her genre’s just Tango, even IF her song was in English. But this song, “She Wolf” deviates from what she does best, and, well, Shakira’s doing a little experiment here: this isn’t a Tango song. At least, not completely. It’s more of electronic/dance mixed in. I think it’s pretty damn good.

uh, I don’t recommend you to watch the official music video for this song. I’ll be honest here: the MV is horrible.

The Maniac Street Preachers are back!! Nothing much to say about them though. Like most UK artists, they just do what they do. I’ve always liked UK music more than music from the US for some reason, and Maniac Street Preachers are one prime example of UK pride.

Their music is mostly joyful, but sadly, that happiness in all of their songs covers up the amazing, incredible writing for their songs:

Only a god can bruise
Only a god can soothe
Only a god reserves the right
To forgive those that revile him
Only a god can bruise
Only a god can soothe
Only a god reserves the right
To forgive those that revile him

fucking amazing.

Need For Speed: Shift is finally out!

it’s getting mixed reviews, but thank god, majority of game critics like the game. To some players, it’s getting mixed reviews as well. In fact, this racing simulator game fails to please to either Arcade racing fans or the Racing Simulation fans. Speaking Frankly, this game is an odd mix of both!

I think the game balances nicely between the racing simulation seriousness and the arcadish elements of a game, such as being a jerk and crashing into other cars, spinning them out and trading paint. I like this game alot, really. But too bad, it’s being caught in an unfortunate between. I never saw this problem coming.

Ah well, there are many people who like this game out there, including majority of critics. To me, this is the best racing simulator game out there.

Fuck the other racing simulator games like Forza Motorsport, and fuck Gran Turismo. They both suck, are too serious, and are totally not fun to play. I mean, what do we play games for? to play real-life? Screw it, I want to do things in games that can’t be done in real life – games can never be realistic. I play games to unwind. If I wanted a serious racing simulation experience, i’d go to a nearby racetrack.

Realism in games is overrated. I honestly think that people who prefer realistic games are missing the whole point of playing games itself – they’re missing out on a hellaload of fun.

Word out,
Ramesh

Dear blog,

wow, it’s been 1 week since I updated you about all the nooks and crannies about what’s happening. I didn’t have the time, that’s all. Surprising, huh? I mean, I usually have too much time on my hands, and now, I’m needing more of it.

Anyway, exams are over. With that, so are our first set of modules. 1 week into the holidays, and I’m already in the holiday mode, so it does kind of suck to talk about it, but I need to be honest with myself here: I don’t think I was well-prepared enough for the exams. I was rather complacent, actually. I found the papers challenging, and I think I've flung them. Oh, no.

Well, like Alicia said, I can’t do much for now. I need to wait for the results. Only then I can gauge if or not I was really complacent, or if or not I need to put in more effort into what I do. 2 Words, bloggie: Results show. They’re an accurate reflection of the amount of work you put into what you do.

My aim is not to do exceptionally well (although I want to), but I think having consistent results across the board, across all modules reaps better rewards. That’s just ITE, I find myself being forced to stay consistent in my academics. Efficient system or not, it’s up to that person to decide. For me, I’d take this over secondary school anyway, where you had to mug for just one stupid exam at the very end which determined everything you ever went to school for.

Okay, done with the sourness here.

Well, that is it. The first set of modules are over –and done with. No more POA with Ms. Cynthia, no more BSE with Mr. Chow, no more COB with Mr. Chin, and no more OFA with Ms. Felina. I’m going to miss them all, fantastic teachers in their own accord, every one of them. Each lesson was unique, and brought something distinctly different into the classroom, and I liked that (yet something else secondary school didn’t have, I never got to see different sides of my classmates in terms of academics). I hope our new modules do the same!

here’s a tribute to my lecturers:

Ms Cynthia: thank you for being such a fantastic (and clear) POA teacher. I think you’re the clearest teacher I know! And, thanks for helping me out with the admin for my Taiwan trip! It means alot to me!

Mr Chow: coolest CA ever. seriously. Also, he has his own fair sense of humor. His lessons are mostly dry, but everything else that he handles about the class is really likeable. I just think he’s a really good CA!

Mr Chin: this guy'’s our kid-like teacher. No one’s going to forget his trademark laughter! His lessons are the most freeform and open ones, and also the most interactive, so i’m going to miss this.

Ms Felina: a teacher who, to me, has certainly made her mark in her short period she taught our class, and all I have to say, is that: Ms Felina, thank you for caring.

Wednesday was a briefing for the upcoming Taiwan trip with ETP club. It’s shaping up to be pretty awesome. I think the people in class SB are really nice people, and the guys are are nothing, absolutely NOTHING, like the guys in my class SC, in a good way. I wish I wasn’t the only person from SC in ETP club...then us people from SC and SB could all be one whole network of friends! ah, like secondary school.

you know, that’s exactly what “welcome2thesocial” means. That is why I gave you that name, but it’s becoming meaningless. I’d love to rename you to something else more awesome, but I don’t seem to be able to come up with another name for you.

Wednesday wasn’t just a briefing, after the briefing, it was a get-together/bonding session on our own with the SB people. It was a long day, walking around town, Raffles, Suntec, Dhoby Gaught, Bugis, Orchard, Somerset, omg, wtf, this is caryinsane, and then Harbourfront, where I saw the Superstar Virgo ship for the first time at night. Pretty stuff. Siti once told me it was 7-stories high, but it doesn’t look like it to me. Gah, how would I know anyway.

Vincent and Willi are familiar faces to me: we went for the Exoro games that ETP participated in together. A new face was Kellie, a seriously small girl. No, seriously, if you think Suzy’s small, wait till you see Kellie. I can’t recall who’s shorter, but ahahahahah. It’s a no wonder I never noticed her in school before. ROFL!

All this reminds me of Atiqah from back in in 4/4, the girl who sits beside me in class. Yep, you guessed it: Atiqah was literally the shortest girl in the entire cohort.

another fairly new face is Tiffany. Well, not exactly new, but I can’t exactly remember how we got to know each other, and when we started talking. She works at Suntec City o_O. That’s the beauty of school, it’s a world of friends. I don’t know about the world though, but who knows, the world might be a world of friends :D

Tiffany’s cheerful, but she was rather serious while at work where we passed her the briefing details. She was serious to me when we talked on the MRT back home a couple of days ago also. I asked Willi and Vincent about her, and they too said that she’s mostly a serious person.

YES! I HAD BRIYANI FOR DINNER YEAAAAH!!!1

VivoCity is endless. My first time going there, and that place is huge. But really, I thought it was nothing special. Just another mall, with a seriously mediocre sub-urban feel. I wonder what the big deal about it is. Phail.

talking about sub-urban outlets, you should check out the Shrilling Chicken toy at Action City (or was it Mini Toons?). It’s seriously freakin’ hilarious!

Oh, talking about malls, remember about the time I wrote about the epic escalators at ION orchard? Well, guess wut: Orchard Central has even crazier escalators, 3 escalators spanning over 8 stories, literally. Do the math, and you’ll know, on a average, how long a escalator is: each of them, spanning over more than 2 stories.

Orchard Central is pretty insane. We were taking the escalator, and it just kept going up, up, and up. We could see the roof of the other buildings nearby already, and we were STILL going up. And this escalator was located on the outside of the mall. It’s pretty scary, looking down below at the ground from the escalator that is going up to the eight storey. Yeah, I have a fear of heights, having lived in the second storey, and then in this farmhouse. No such thing as high-rise for me.

But I have to say, it’s still a very unique (and expensive?) mall. You should go take a look. The mall’s design and architectural concept is seriously mind-blowing.

Thurday, I went over to Jing Wen’s house. There, we tore up 3 computers apart which his uncle gave to him, in an attempt to fix them. Jing Wen had already fixed one, it was running on a 2.6GHz Celeron D. Another one was a virtually empty CPU case, with it running on yet another Celeron chip in it, but this one was on a older motherboard, and used an older socket design. It had a really tiny fan, and a laughable heatsink too. Ew, Old.

The third computer we “tore up” was perhaps the most interesting, and the most difficult to troubleshoot. This was a slim computer, you know, the one with comes with the really gay and slim CPU casing which can’t fit anything (it could not fit in any of the cards he had). The PSU (Power Supply Unit) was kinda unique, I have never seen one like that before. It was long, and covered nearly the entire bottom area of the casing. PSU’s are usually cuboids in shape, and are not so exaggerated length-wise. But this was looooong!

It took us hours, but we figured out the problem: it was the Core2Duo processor. Hahaha, yep, it was on a core2duo! And this PC could be his if he fixed it. What a waste! The very instant we removed the core2duo processor chip from the motherboard’s socket and replaced it with the Celeron D 2.6GHz chip from the other CPU, it started working.

I can’t believe it, out of all the components in a computer, the processor died on it. I mean, how rare is that? It’s rare that computer processors (or motherboards and anything else) just die like that, with no apparent reason. Really. His uncle told him that he had used it only for 2 months!

hahaha, now THAT is why a warranty is important!

after putting the computer(s) back together in their original integrity (as if nothing happened), we went to McDonald’s at Pioneer Mall to have our dinner. I was pressured to get a really expensive Mega McSpicy meal, but heck, I didn’t regret it. Too bad though, there are no more seaweed shaker fries. I loved them.

The lady at the counter tried cracking a joke with me, but I was too serious, I guess. I mean, it’s kind of freaky when a service personnel serving you cracks a joke with you all of a sudden. It’s just awkward.

JW and me had a good laugh at each other, both of us struggling to finish our Mega McSpicy(s). It was funny shit, because not only was the Mega McSpicy too freakin’ huge to fit into our mouths, but it was also very, very, VERY spicy. In fact, it was the Spiciest burger I have ever eaten. When we finally finished, we felt really bloated, we were walking like tanks.

Man, it was worth the hefty $8.95, but shit, i’m never doing that again. Thank god for iced Milo.

and yesterday, I went over to Jonathan’s house. More PS3, and this was when I found out how badly Gran Turismo 5: Prologue sucked. Besides the graphics, it sucks to the core. Just like so many PS3 exclusives out there, good graphics, bad gameplay.

We liked Dirt2 alot though, we tried the demo. It. is. Awesome! seriously, although we tried only the demo, it was one of the best racing games that i’ve ever laid my hands (and eyes) on. And, it’s graphics are really pretty. It is such a gorgeous driving experience, this game’s graphics is just...so detailed.

pretty!!

He also preordered Need For Speed: Shift at Comics Connection. That game’s looking incredible, and come Tuesday, all will be revealed:

Like it or not, this game’s looking fucking incredible.

and of course, our regular Dose of the Nazi Zombies minigame from Call Of Duty: World At War. That doesn’t get old. We also crapped around playing competitively racing in GT5:P, and some co-op action in Resident Evil 5.

In other news, Apple held a surprise keynote event on 09/09/09, a event dedicated to Apple’s music sector. Unleashed were a this year’s new lineup of ipods, a new version of iTunes, and a much-needed revamp of the iTunes Store.

I told myself, that if Apple were to be stupid enough to add a camera unto their music device, i’d never ever buy an ipod. Well, guess what: That’s EXACTLY what they did. They added a camera to the ipod nano! now i’m never, ever going to get an ipod. No, Seriously: I do NOT want a camera on my music player.

You know what's the stupid thing? The ipod nano’s camera only shoots video, it can’t take pictures! how stupid is that? Shame on you Apple, stuffing half-baked new features into your nanotech. A camera which can’t take pictures renders it 3-quarters useless.

Talking about stuffing new features, the ipod’s scroll wheel is getting old. Apple is stuffing way too many features into it’s scroll wheel. It’s time to change apple, CHANGE. Not upgrade.

iTunes 9 really isn’t much to the end user, besides sporting a new look, and a revamped iTunes store.

here’s iTunes 8: i’ve always hated the way apple uses that ugly dark grey.

iTunes 9: looking slightly better. It isn’t as dark anymore, and that itself, is an improvement to me.

for those who’ve been hoping for iTunes to have a major change (like me), well, your hopes are either crushed, or fulfilled. I think mine have been crushed. This visual refresh of iTunes isn’t enough. I want a change, Apple. Not an upgrade. And don’t make us pay money for it either.

talking about paying, i’m sure Apple has made tons of ipod nano-chromatic owners around the world fuming mad with this new ipod nano’s price. It has a camera, has a aluminum finish, and it STILL costs the same as the previous ipod nano? Oh come on apple, you’re making people angry.

lastly, apple continues it’s ridiculous ipod shuffle forward: Introducing 5 new colors to the lineup, including one with a *exclusive* stainless steel finish with 2GB.

I think i’m putting on some serious weight. After the Briyani, and the Mega McSpicy, I think I had better start dieting, and exercising. But i’m just too damn lazy. NUUUU

I got this off someone else’s blog, it’s a couple of pointers that help you stay happy:

I think I should learn from these!

Word Out,
Ramesh

Dear Blog,

I’ve been noticing something strange. Whenever something good happens, I fail to write it down here. However, when something bad happens, I rant like crazy for days and days over here. So much for archiving life.

I mean, I’ve gotta admit. There are just lesser things/thoughts to pen down when life’s all happy, and when everything’s going your own way. Life becomes predictable, and boring. You know what’s going to happen, you know what’s coming up next. Now that’s just plain boring. Yeah, happiness is taken for granted all the time.

I mean, come on. Can you imagine me writing here like so:

“I met blahblahblah after school, we headed down to blahblahblah where I saw blahblahblah and I blahblahblah. Like finally! ok so Now i’m at home, yawwwns. SO boring. I’m tired, going to sleep now kbai”

oh yucks, I can only imagine.

You see, bloggie, that’s why I never ever plan whatever I do. I never really did believe in planning actually, i’m always out doing things impromptu. The first person in my life to really prove to me that planning actually works, and that planning is important was my school counselor. I’ve learnt to plan since, but still, I find doing things impromptu a ton better, and more fun. Despite that, a few things, they’re probably just better off done with proper planning. I just need to know and identify when not to do certain things in certain situations.

I’ve always wondered why people found planning fun, but I finally get the picture. It’s the beauty of how everything goes exactly the way you laid it out in your head. Your virtualized concept taking shape in front of you, becoming materialized. The satisfaction you get is really incredible, how you managed to give yourself your own sense of direction for your own things. There’s much to be proud about.

After everything’s over, you can look back, and go ahead and smile.

You know, as much as possible, I would love to make everyone around me happy. I like helping people, doing things they like, rather than doing things I like. But that’s becoming difficult. It’s difficult when people aren’t quite themselves, when people can’t differentiate the difference between what’s rational and what is irrational, and what is right, and what is wrong.

Oh, there I go again. Everyone’s flawed, and I believe we should accept everyone for who they are –and that includes their flaws. Because of this very reason, I’d say we shouldn’t complain about people. Because you could complain about the whole world if you wanted to.

It is really just a matter of your own views and perceptions. Everything is flawed, this entire world is flawed. We could complain about every single thing around us if we wanted to. What we really need to do is to grow up and to accept these flaws for what they are. We can’t bend people to our own will, people are not going to change for you. But you can change!

We all love doing what we want, but thing is, we really can’t do that all the time. You’ll probably end up unknowingly playing another person’s emotions, and you’ll in turn end up being hated. Everything you do will have consequences, and they will all come right back at you one day. At the end of the day, you live with yourself.

Sigh.

That’s pretty scary, actually. The fact that you, I , us, all of us, we all have to live with ourselves at the end of the day. It’s the sad truth. I fear this alot, which is why i’m going to work my butt off to get good results. I don’t want to regret not studying now, and then screwing up the paper. I’m just going to be cheating on myself.

bloggie, you were here. I started writing here in December 2008, as part of a desperate attempt of me to put that horrible year into words. I wrote the entry -  2008: A sad story, to place everything that had happened in that year behind me, never to be seen again. It’s how I spent the entire year cheating on no one but myself.

2008 will NOT repeat itself.
not this time.

so here I am, paranoid about my exams, driving myself up the wall. But here’s the catch: I would rather be paranoid about my exams, feeling the urgency, instead of just laying back and slacking and being cool about it all. It’s where I get the drive from, and I need this drive.

I remember not being driven enough in 2008, and 2008 isn’t going to repeat itself, a problem that needs rectifying.

I think I have been seriously emo in class this week. Its probably me being paranoid and nervous about the exams. That, and some other things as well. But ah well, it IS mugging week anyway. Mugging week *officially* ends in 2 days’ time, and after that, lock and load; It’s go time.

Talking about things that are locked, I am seriously thinking of working during the holidays. Maybe then, finally, I can get the things I want. Topping the list is a brand new gaming quad-core computer, and a new handphone. It’s the only way i’ll ever get to have these stuff. It’s sad, by the time I grow up, I won’t have time for games. A quad-core gaming computer would probably be rendered useless by then.

Oh, and talking about the holidays, I’m going to Taiwan!! Yes lol, ETP club’s going there! yeeehaw, it is going to be so much fun! Yes, I totally am looking forward to it. Throw this in, too: Ms. Cynthia is coming along!

wait, how can I look for a job when i’ve got this Taiwan trip? OSHI- FUX LA

anyway, bloggie, i’ve been bragging so much about my life here, Its about time I gave back what you have given me. You’re turning one this December! I’m thinking of giving you a makeover when you do, but I don’t seem to have any inspiration for a new design for you (new URL? new banner? new colors? new name?). Besides, I like this current blogskin pretty darn alot, and more importantly, it is meaningful. How am I going to retain the integrity? hmm...

Damn it.
I blame the exams.

All the best to my fellow classmates!

Word Out,
Ramesh

Dear Blog,

hi again. It’s been five days since we could talk. Wicked huh, how everything moves so fast. I’m having withdrawal symptoms already! j/k j/k. but yeah, it has been 5 wicked days since. Good to see you still...intact.

Today was a beautiful day. It’s teacher’s day today! I was thinking of skipping the second half of school today just to go back to CCKSS, but you won’t believe what happened. I thought school today would supposedly end at 4.00pm. For the polytechnics, some of them are having exams, and the others have probably started their holidays. My exams (2 written papers anyway), are next week. Holidays are starting straight after that. JC students today have had their half-days, just like secondary and primary schools. So, the only group of students who couldn’t go back are the poly students having their exams today, and people like me, because school for me was supposed to end at 4pm, but, uh...

The first thing I (and pretty much everyone else) noticed when entering the school was the red carpet at the foyer. All lecturers entering the school are supposed to walk down this red carpet. I thought it was a pretty clever idea by the year 2 students.

I woke up early today, for some odd reason. Out of bed at 6.30am, I was the second to reach the classroom. Xin Hui was the first to reach the classroom, and she had just opened it. Alicia walked in shortly after, and followed by Shafiqa and Amira. Shafiqa, Amira, and me went looking around for the exam debarment list, but we couldn’t find it. We ended up talking to Ms. Felina from ‘till 9.30am. Her class was completely absent. But anyway, it was talk about the OFA paper (naturally, which alot of people dreaded), and cats and dogs. Yeah.

“Rightfully” back in class at 9.30am, we didn’t really do much. Or rather, we were not exactly allowed to do much. For the most of COB lesson, we watched one of the very last few of the presentations, this one, Averic’s group. It was alright, they got a B+...

In that chat with Ms. Felina, she said that she wasn’t teaching much for OFA (she was supposed to teach us Search Engines wtf), because that module’s technically done and over with. Her plan was this: we would just come for class, take our attendance, and done.

We were dismissed from COB right after the presentation; half an hour early. We went to the canteen for our break. Literally half the class wasn’t here, but it was only in the canteen that I would realize that half the school wasn’t here either. The student’s surprises for the lecturers have kept the lecturers rather busy, so Ms. Cynthia cancelled her POA lesson. We would have nothing to do until Ms. Felina’s lesson at 2pm, and it was just 10.30pm.

Alicia and me went looking for Ms. Felina, and she said we could just go home; she cancelled her lesson too. Our attendance was covered.

...and that’s how we got dismissed at 10.30pm today. Divina, Mona, and Averic were in the computer lab, either putting the finishing bits to their FACT accounting software assignment, or just wanting to finish it. I left the school at 11.30pm, with Alicia. Ancherle, Mona, and Divina went into the MPH. They had a call for students to volunteer for a mass dance in the MPH. The mass dance was Michael Jackson’s Thriller. LOL

Leaving Alicia at the bus-stop, I took a lonely walk back to the MRT station, where I would take the train back to Chua Chu Kang, to back to good ol’ CCKSS.

I walked to CCKSS from the station (lot1), for nostalgia’s sake. Fondly named “Memory Lane” by Chelsea and me. Chelsea said that we all should walk down Memory Lane together one day again. Isn’t she just the sweetest thing?

Oh, did I mention that I saw Zhi Min when I was getting off the train?

Us Ex-Students were all asked to stay in the canteen collectively. You know, us 2/7 people, we had our usual spot in the canteen. Yep, that very same bench, I had to look no further, they were there. That very same canteen bench, where we literally spent the past 4 years of recess together.

Ernest, Gordon, Tang Hao, Hui Ying, Sze Ming, Yue Ming, and a whole lot of other people who’s names i’m too lazy to type (it’s a long list of people k), we were all there. Majority of the people were the guys from 4/3, that all-boys class which made CCKSS history. From my class, 4/4, there was just me and Hui Ying at the moment, but Joseph, Alger, and Benedict arrived later.

the entire cohort of us ex-students took a group photo together standing in a bunch at the parade square.

Among the teachers that we met and greeted were Mr. Tan Jun Jie, Mrs. Tang, Ms. Vanessa, Mr. Kumar. I was eager to see other teachers, like Mr. Leong and Mdm. Prema, but Mr. Leong was on course, and Mdm. Prema, well, I dunno. Ms. Sim (our idealistic principal) came to talk a little to us, too.

Other faces I spotted at school were some of the indian girls: Abirami, Madhavi, and Premala. Sangeetha didn’t come, but I would learn later that she was having exams. Oh, of course, you have the regular bunch of girls from 4/6, and 4/7. 4/5 was epic lose, and my class 4/4 wasn’t any better. But 4/5 was epic lose.

We walked up to the staff room, but before that, I saw Ling Jie. It was a quick hi-bye thing, but ah, it was good to see him. Nice guy.

While walking up to the staff room, I saw Geok Shan. She had a surprised face on; because I told her that I might not be going back to CCKSS today, but heheheheheh. Ah, it was good to see her also.

At the staff room, Mdm. Ruhaiza recognized me instantly. She may not be the best of geography teachers, but she is one teacher whom I really opened to about the countless number of personal problems I had back then in secondary school, the problems which plagued my studies, leading to my eventual failure at ‘O’ levels. We didn’t manage to talk much, but what she said was just that much encouraging.

Another teacher who i’ve opened up to was Mrs. Alicia Tan. You may not believe it, but this goes all the way back when I was just 15 years old – sec3. Mrs. Alicia Tan was our form teacher for for 2 years. Mrs. Alicia Tan has left the school since, so guess what. The 4/3 boys called her up, and we were meeting her at Lot1.

We left the school pretty early, as the overcast sky didn’t spell anything good for us. We took the bus back to Lot1, and it was one hell of a noisy bus ride back. The bus was packed with us ex-students AND current students, and oh man. That was one hell of a bus ride.

It was alot of pointless walking at Lot1 with the guys, and it was hilarious!
we eventually settled down though, half an hour due for Mrs. Alicia Tan to arrive. We were at Lot1’s rooftop garden. We were a pretty big group, and we did create quite a racket, especially when Mrs. Alicia Tan arrived at the rooftop garden, with us cheering like hooligans. You know, the usual “WOOOOOO!!!1”. We had quite a bit of the public staring at us, BUT WHO CARES?

It was a unique occasion, and crap, we should have taken pictures of us and Mrs. Alicia Tan at lot1’s rooftop garden together. But you see, we were all guys. We don’t do pictures! so no pictures, just memories buried deep in our hearts for us to bring back home =).

Alot of catching up, asking the well-being of each other, school life, this and that. Which, by the way, lasted pretty damn long surprisingly. Cracked some jokes, you know, the usual. These was a funny instance though, when Ernest asked if or not the “pay was still the same”. Mrs. Alicia Tan misinterpreted that as the “face was still the same”. Man, Mrs. Tan’s reply to Ernest’s question was LOL

Mrs. Alicia Tan had shifted house since too. She lives near Sunshine Place! Back in Secondary School, I used to go past Sunshine Place everyday. I still do go past there every now and then, when I take bus 975 from Chua Chu Kang or Bukit Panjang back home. Damn, that place is just all too familiar. So, Mrs. Tan takes 172 back home.

172. That bus which I used to take everyday when I was still living in Jurong. That bus which Chelsea and I simple loveee taking together after school, LOL

Ah, but 975 goes to Sunshine Place too. So I asked Mrs. Alicia Tan to take the same bus with me home. and we did! This was when Mrs. Alicia Tan and I would actually talk quite alot. And it was after talking to her, that I realized...

bloggie, my life’s changed alot in the past...12 months. My life has taken shape in such a way, a form so unimaginable. Some good, some bad. But i’m hoping it’s mostly good! haha

Mrs. Alicia Tan really brought back some of my own history (remember, it goes way back to sec3). My temper problem at home and school, anger management issues, depression, stress, emo, being late for school, sleeping the entire day in school away, my relationship with my parents, 4 counselors in a year, stuff like these.

Yeah, I may sleep in class still, but hell, its far better than what I was in cckss. I still have problems manging my emotions, but hell, right now, that too is far better than what I was in cckss. I don’t throw and break stuff at home anymore. Looking back, tossing a classmate’s bag halfway across the classroom, throwing a table at a teacher, breaking a stool to pieces in the F&N kitchen, shouting at someone so loud till the entire corridor could hear me, slamming a school’s computer keyboard against its screen, I can’t believe I actually did all those things.

I don’t argue and shout vulgarities at my parents anymore, I mean, everything’s just died down since. Yes, we still might argue over things, but its miles better than what happened a couple of years ago. My dad finally talks to me, my results at school aren’t half as bad either. Things are going well, bloggie. That’s the shape my life has taken. I don’t even seem to need a counselor as much anymore.

you know what makes me sad right now? it’s my friends at school dude. They’re such a lovely bunch of people, really.

I guess life can’t be perfect, things just can’t go the way you want it to. I still think things are going well, but school, I just don’t look forward to school as much I used to, if I even do look forward to school in the first place at all. Sure, I might have ended up in a crap school. But without coming here to ITE, this change in my life would have never taken place. Sure, it is not a course of my choice, but I like it. For this, I owe ITE something.

The funny thing is, when Mrs. Alicia Tan asked me how did these things happen, I couldn’t answer. I think my temper problem is still there, but...I don’t know.

As I continued spilling out my “story” to her, she said it was nice to see me like this. She said it was nice to see me happy once again. Her bus stop soon came, and we had to split ways. Cut short by the bus journey. Reminds me of Chelsea and me on 172 all over again.

Speaking of which, that very bus stop Mrs. Alicia Tan alighted at, was the stop I took the bus from to home on the first day of school for me in ITE, it was Chelsea’s birthday. I’m not sure if she remembers this though. LOL, Chelsea, if you’re reading this, pardon me for your prominent presence in this post.

This is serious nostalgia XD.
no kidding, I srs

 
2/7 forever!!!
lol @ Joseph's glasses.

Ancherle said I look gay. Thanks ah! I know i’m ugly.

okay, so life doesn’t suck. But take a fuckload of drugs anyway.
with what Mrs. Alicia Tan has said to me in mind, I continue walking –pushing.

Word Out,
Ramesh

this never get old, does it.


And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
But when we leave this year we won't be coming back
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track
And if you got something that you need to say
You better say it right now cause you don't have another day
Cause we're moving on and we can't slow down
These memories are playing like a film without sound
And I keep thinking of that night in June
I didn't know much of love
But it came too soon
And there was me and you
And then we got real blue
Stay at home talking on the telephone
And we would get so excitedand we'd get so scared
Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair
And this is how it feels

As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
From whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever

So if we get the big jobs
And we make the big money
When we look back now
Will our jokes still be funny?
Will we still remember everything we learned in school?
Still be trying to break every single rule
Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?
Can Heather find a job that won't interfere with her tan?
I keep, keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
And this is how it feels

La, la, la, la:
Yeah, yeah, yeah
La, la, la, la:
We will still be friends forever

Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?
Can we survive it out there?
Can we make it somehow?
I guess I thought that this would never end
And suddenly it's like we're women and men
Will the past be a shadow that will follow us 'round?
Will these memories fade when I leave this town
I keep, keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly