Usually the group of MSN contacts which always has someone online is my class, even in the wierdest hours. This is, however, not true in the regular morning hours. When Agi called me yesterday morning I was told I was the only one awake; signing in a few minutes ago, there was also no one online. I've never been one to wake up early out of volition, but I quite like my mornings, especially when they aren't filled with anything. That's probably the reason I bother waking up that early back there too; alone time is one of the few things keeping me sane.
Well it's day 5, and how quickly I've been in and out. I've been fortunate so far in my dealings there, and I think that will continue because of some of the stuff I've done while here. I've told anyone who's asked that, for me, I always felt the anticipation of something dreadful was worse than the thing itself; this time, it was every bit as unpleasant as expected. Nevertheless, 9 weeks and all of 22 months are actually the better end of the stick, especially with all the opportunities available. Plus, I'm doing all I can to go with the PSC route, and I'm eagerly awaiting my new Board Interview date. (PS, I was informed my Harvard app is incomplete. something to do with Secondary School / Dean's Reports, hmm.)
The 2nd day of CNY is usually quieter, and it was nice walking along the estate to and from breakfast with little traffic or pedestrians. At times like these, it would take a huge effort to distill all the thoughts in my head, but I guess before going back there it would do to articulate the important points (no elaboration or clarification, just expression for now) - ethos (the place and the way things are done) and how contrary it is to my person; the choice to do it individually; survive and thrive; 22 months of obligation in the land I've been blessed to be put in but a matter of completing it in a way that is least undesirable and lets me actually live (all the possibilities at each stage I'm aware and becoming aware of); anticipation of it being worse than the actual thing not being accurate now that it's being gone through and how the initial direction (extension of my personality) is no longer the one trajectory I consider.
I plan to make the most out of 2009, whenever it is actually lived and experienced when I'm here.
Monday, 26 January 2009
A little before Day 5 begins, here's my post which is the second one that technically falls under the Monday Day 4 title, since Day 4 hadn't really begun when I wrote the previous post.
It's funny how those whom I had expected to be the most into army are the ones publicly expressing their lack of enthusiasm. Those who have oodles of energy to spare are thriving; some who've been there longer and whom I would never have thought would embrace it are doing incredibly well; many are taking the easy route out in the form of o.o.t. I don't fall in any of these groups; neither do I have the same direction as I did in the first 4 months of last year. I've found myself considering all possibilities, leaving my options open, taking things as they come and as I think would benefit me. Above all, I've learnt immense trust and thanks.
Today's small class CNY lunch gathering was a time for chat and laughter over a long and drawn-out meal. Cheryl and I supplied the steamboat food, JC provided the house, Mel the drinks and Song the tarts. Together with Mong, Gabriel and JC's bachelor pad-mates, we enjoyed a relaxing meal, followed by Iron Man. While it would have been a much tighter squeeze in the limited space, having more of the class would certainly have been fun. That said, 2 class gatherings during this 5-day break is more than most.
Listen to your heart beat/All the love that we've felt
Scream your heart out.
It's funny how those whom I had expected to be the most into army are the ones publicly expressing their lack of enthusiasm. Those who have oodles of energy to spare are thriving; some who've been there longer and whom I would never have thought would embrace it are doing incredibly well; many are taking the easy route out in the form of o.o.t. I don't fall in any of these groups; neither do I have the same direction as I did in the first 4 months of last year. I've found myself considering all possibilities, leaving my options open, taking things as they come and as I think would benefit me. Above all, I've learnt immense trust and thanks.
Today's small class CNY lunch gathering was a time for chat and laughter over a long and drawn-out meal. Cheryl and I supplied the steamboat food, JC provided the house, Mel the drinks and Song the tarts. Together with Mong, Gabriel and JC's bachelor pad-mates, we enjoyed a relaxing meal, followed by Iron Man. While it would have been a much tighter squeeze in the limited space, having more of the class would certainly have been fun. That said, 2 class gatherings during this 5-day break is more than most.
Listen to your heart beat/All the love that we've felt
Scream your heart out.
Here are some of my thoughts on this the first hour of the Lunar New Year (an occasion which, because of the majority race in the country, is commemorated in proportions larger than Christmas or any other festive event; I mean, stores actually close for extended periods of time, that's the scale of it) -
Chinese New Year's Eve is meant for family reunions, and that has been particularly significant for me as I've not had the chance to be around my family often over the past 3 weeks. That the eve should fall on a Sunday makes it especially so, because I have not had the chance to attend church on the Sabbath as often either. Call it what you want - a pocket/alternative/non-reality - it is for all intents and purposes a large pause in the regular experience of life. So to have spent this Sunday/the eve with friends, family and alone doing stuff I usually occupy my time with (see: naps, readings, applications, internet, iTunes) made the third day of this 5-day resuming of life very pleasant. Day 1 was spent preparing for the specialist interview and I decided not to head out like I had originally planned, which was the right choice since I enjoyed that time more leisurely. I also think I didn't feel the need to rush out since I had 10 whole hours to do that on Wednesday. Day 2 has been mentioned in point 5 of my previous post, and I think I managed to meet up with everyone whom I had kept in contact with over those 3 weeks. There are others I've been wanting to meet and stuff, but I've not heard from them since the week the year started.
CNY celebrations last for 2 days following the eve. Visitations have never figured largely on my calendar, and given my schedule, I will only be visiting once for dinner on Day 4 (CNY Day 1), after a class gathering, and hopefully followed by a trip out which I had not made on Day 1. The second day of CNY (Day 5) will be spent alternately on putting the rest of my academic future together and spending time with parents (or more accurately parent as one will be on the way to Houston) before Week 3 ('cos just like school, there's a Week 0 factored into the calendar) begins.
Like I mentioned, I've had lots of time to think. I hope to continue to have that, owing especially to that expensive specialist assessment yesterday (in my head it's still Sunday; only when I finish reading last week's Economist and wake up will Monday have begun).
What I've learnt going into the first day of the last week of January?
Live out Love; Live through Faith; Live in Hope.
Chinese New Year's Eve is meant for family reunions, and that has been particularly significant for me as I've not had the chance to be around my family often over the past 3 weeks. That the eve should fall on a Sunday makes it especially so, because I have not had the chance to attend church on the Sabbath as often either. Call it what you want - a pocket/alternative/non-reality - it is for all intents and purposes a large pause in the regular experience of life. So to have spent this Sunday/the eve with friends, family and alone doing stuff I usually occupy my time with (see: naps, readings, applications, internet, iTunes) made the third day of this 5-day resuming of life very pleasant. Day 1 was spent preparing for the specialist interview and I decided not to head out like I had originally planned, which was the right choice since I enjoyed that time more leisurely. I also think I didn't feel the need to rush out since I had 10 whole hours to do that on Wednesday. Day 2 has been mentioned in point 5 of my previous post, and I think I managed to meet up with everyone whom I had kept in contact with over those 3 weeks. There are others I've been wanting to meet and stuff, but I've not heard from them since the week the year started.
CNY celebrations last for 2 days following the eve. Visitations have never figured largely on my calendar, and given my schedule, I will only be visiting once for dinner on Day 4 (CNY Day 1), after a class gathering, and hopefully followed by a trip out which I had not made on Day 1. The second day of CNY (Day 5) will be spent alternately on putting the rest of my academic future together and spending time with parents (or more accurately parent as one will be on the way to Houston) before Week 3 ('cos just like school, there's a Week 0 factored into the calendar) begins.
Like I mentioned, I've had lots of time to think. I hope to continue to have that, owing especially to that expensive specialist assessment yesterday (in my head it's still Sunday; only when I finish reading last week's Economist and wake up will Monday have begun).
What I've learnt going into the first day of the last week of January?
Live out Love; Live through Faith; Live in Hope.
Sunday, 25 January 2009
Allow me to ever so subtly side-step the large elephant in the room and proceed with blogging under usual circumstances.
I think for clarity's sake, I shall number my points to avoid having to write in progressive prose.
1. Ever since having drinks at Cuisine, the bar next to the It Club of Manila, Embassy, and that fateful game of Circle of Death on our first night in Palawan, I've not had a single drop of alcohol, largely because I've been on one form of meds or another. I've also not had a drop of coffee ever since that Iced Caramel Macchiato I had on the morning of results day. Tea on the other hand has been regularly consumed, be it the canned peach and green variety or the fresh lemon one at japanese set lunches.
2. The PSC Psychological Interview I had on the 21st of January was long and at times tedious, but necessary. My Board Interview scheduled for the 9th of February has been postponed indefinitely.
3. I'm waiting for the LSE response for Politics and Philosophy before I decide whether or not to sign the remark forms and/or appeal the Durham conditions. Have gotten the Pin Letters from NYU and Yale, waiting for Harvard. In the midst of filling in the last part of the PSC application, which is on hold because I need to finish the NUS application first.
4. I have finished Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger. You constantly read reviews about books hailed as politically critical; the definition of that term has surely been diluted. But if you want to read a work of fiction that can be said to be a political satire and comment, this is the book for you. It is because it adheres to the strictest definition of this term that it is the Man Booker Prize Winner for 2008. My next read shall be George Orwell's Why I Write.
5. 2009 was put on hold after the first few days of excitement. It resumed on 24/01, where I first went in the morning for an assessment with the former head of Respiratory Science at SGH at his private clinic in Mount Elizabeth, which cost me more money than I've spent in all of last year, followed by lunch at Sun With Moon, Wheelock Place with Deon and Sean, Tea at NYDC, Holland Village with Paul, preparations for Sam's second surprise 19th birthday party with Josh, Al, Val, Miche and Adriel, dinner at NYDC with Melodie, Cheryl, Joash, Justin, Jim, Song Yeong, Gabriel, John Chris, Darren, Nicholas and Chun Wui, Guitar Hero: World Tour at Elliot's place with this gang plus Gerald, Mong and Patrick, and finally the rest of the party at Sam's place with the prep group plus Jake, Mike and Auyong, ending the night at 4ish with just the musketeers. I was the only one to wake up 3 hours later to get to church and cell, then a grocery run for our small class reunion lunch at Agi's cousin's Novena apartment tomorrow.
I shall end with a few lines from The White Tiger which I think encapsulate its brilliance -
"Now, I've driven around Bangalore at night too, but I never get that feeling here that I did in Delhi - the feeling that if something is burning inside me as I drive, the city will know about it - she will burn with the same thing.
My heart was bitter that night. The city knew this - and under the dim orange glow cast everywhere by the week streetlamps, she was bitter.
Speak to me of civil war, I told Delhi.
I will, she said.
An overturned flower urn on a traffic island in the middle of a road; next to it three men sit with open mouths. An older man with a beard and white turban is talking to them with a finger upraised. Cars drive by him with their dazzling headlights, and the noise drowns out his words. He looks like a prophet in the middle of a city, unnoticed except by his three apostles. They will become his three generals. That overturned flower urn is a symbol of some kind.
Speak to me of blood on the streets, I told Delhi.
I will, she said.
I saw other men discussing and talking and reading in the night, alone or in clusters around the streetlamps. By the dim lights of Delhi, I saw hundreds that night, under trees, shrines, intersections, on benches, squinting at newspapers, holy books, jornals, Communist PArty pamphlets. What were they reading about? What were they talking about?
But what else?
Of the end of the world.
And if there is blood on these streets - I asked the city - do you promise that he'll be the first to go - that man with the fat folds under his neck?
A beggar sitting by the side of the road, a nearly naked man coated with grime, and with wild unkempt hair in long coils like snakes, looked into my eyes:
Promise."
I think for clarity's sake, I shall number my points to avoid having to write in progressive prose.
1. Ever since having drinks at Cuisine, the bar next to the It Club of Manila, Embassy, and that fateful game of Circle of Death on our first night in Palawan, I've not had a single drop of alcohol, largely because I've been on one form of meds or another. I've also not had a drop of coffee ever since that Iced Caramel Macchiato I had on the morning of results day. Tea on the other hand has been regularly consumed, be it the canned peach and green variety or the fresh lemon one at japanese set lunches.
2. The PSC Psychological Interview I had on the 21st of January was long and at times tedious, but necessary. My Board Interview scheduled for the 9th of February has been postponed indefinitely.
3. I'm waiting for the LSE response for Politics and Philosophy before I decide whether or not to sign the remark forms and/or appeal the Durham conditions. Have gotten the Pin Letters from NYU and Yale, waiting for Harvard. In the midst of filling in the last part of the PSC application, which is on hold because I need to finish the NUS application first.
4. I have finished Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger. You constantly read reviews about books hailed as politically critical; the definition of that term has surely been diluted. But if you want to read a work of fiction that can be said to be a political satire and comment, this is the book for you. It is because it adheres to the strictest definition of this term that it is the Man Booker Prize Winner for 2008. My next read shall be George Orwell's Why I Write.
5. 2009 was put on hold after the first few days of excitement. It resumed on 24/01, where I first went in the morning for an assessment with the former head of Respiratory Science at SGH at his private clinic in Mount Elizabeth, which cost me more money than I've spent in all of last year, followed by lunch at Sun With Moon, Wheelock Place with Deon and Sean, Tea at NYDC, Holland Village with Paul, preparations for Sam's second surprise 19th birthday party with Josh, Al, Val, Miche and Adriel, dinner at NYDC with Melodie, Cheryl, Joash, Justin, Jim, Song Yeong, Gabriel, John Chris, Darren, Nicholas and Chun Wui, Guitar Hero: World Tour at Elliot's place with this gang plus Gerald, Mong and Patrick, and finally the rest of the party at Sam's place with the prep group plus Jake, Mike and Auyong, ending the night at 4ish with just the musketeers. I was the only one to wake up 3 hours later to get to church and cell, then a grocery run for our small class reunion lunch at Agi's cousin's Novena apartment tomorrow.
I shall end with a few lines from The White Tiger which I think encapsulate its brilliance -
"Now, I've driven around Bangalore at night too, but I never get that feeling here that I did in Delhi - the feeling that if something is burning inside me as I drive, the city will know about it - she will burn with the same thing.
My heart was bitter that night. The city knew this - and under the dim orange glow cast everywhere by the week streetlamps, she was bitter.
Speak to me of civil war, I told Delhi.
I will, she said.
An overturned flower urn on a traffic island in the middle of a road; next to it three men sit with open mouths. An older man with a beard and white turban is talking to them with a finger upraised. Cars drive by him with their dazzling headlights, and the noise drowns out his words. He looks like a prophet in the middle of a city, unnoticed except by his three apostles. They will become his three generals. That overturned flower urn is a symbol of some kind.
Speak to me of blood on the streets, I told Delhi.
I will, she said.
I saw other men discussing and talking and reading in the night, alone or in clusters around the streetlamps. By the dim lights of Delhi, I saw hundreds that night, under trees, shrines, intersections, on benches, squinting at newspapers, holy books, jornals, Communist PArty pamphlets. What were they reading about? What were they talking about?
But what else?
Of the end of the world.
And if there is blood on these streets - I asked the city - do you promise that he'll be the first to go - that man with the fat folds under his neck?
A beggar sitting by the side of the road, a nearly naked man coated with grime, and with wild unkempt hair in long coils like snakes, looked into my eyes:
Promise."
Friday, 23 January 2009
And here are the nominees for the 81st Academy Awards (my choices in italics):
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor"
Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn in "Milk"
Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler"
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin in "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt"
Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight"
Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road"
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie in "Changeling"
Melissa Leo in "Frozen River"
Meryl Streep in "Doubt"
Kate Winslet in "The Reader"
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams in "Doubt"
Penélope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis in "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler"
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
"Bolt"
"Kung Fu Panda"
"WALL-E"
Achievement in Art Direction
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Duchess"
"Revolutionary Road"
Achievement in Cinematography
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
Achievement in Costume Design
"Australia"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Duchess"
"Milk"
"Revolutionary Road"
Achievement in Directing
David Fincher for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard for "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant for "Milk"
Stephen Daldry for "The Reader"
Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire"
Best Documentary Feature
"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"
"Encounters at the End of the World"
"The Garden"
"Man on Wire"
"Trouble the Water"
Best Documentary Short Subject
"The Conscience of Nhem En"
"The Final Inch"
"Smile Pinki"
"The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306"
Achievement in Film Editing
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"The Dark Knight," Lee Smith
"Frost/Nixon," Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
"Milk," Elliot Graham
"Slumdog Millionaire," Chris Dickens
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
"The Baader Meinhof Complex" - Germany
"The Class" - France
"Departures" - Japan
"Revanche" - Austria
"Waltz with Bashir" - Israel
Achievement in Makeup
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Greg Cannom
"The Dark Knight," John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan
"Hellboy II: The Golden Army," Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Alexandre Desplat
"Defiance," James Newton Howard
"Milk," Danny Elfman
"Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman
"WALL-E," (Walt Disney) Thomas Newman
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
"Down to Earth" from "WALL-E" by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman
"Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire" Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
"O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire" Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam
Best Motion Picture of the Year
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
Best Animated Short Film
"La Maison en Petits Cubes"
"Lavatory - Lovestory"
"Oktapodi"
"Presto"
"This Way Up"
Best Live Action Short Film
"Auf der Strecke (On the Line)"
"Manon on the Asphalt"
"New Boy"
"The Pig"
"Spielzeugland (Toyland)"
Achievement in Sound Editing
"The Dark Knight"
"Iron Man"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"WALL-E"
"Wanted"
Achievement in Sound Mixing
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"WALL-E"
"Wanted"
Achievement in Visual Effects
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Iron Man"
Adapted Screenplay
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," screenplay by Eric Roth, screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
"Doubt," by John Patrick Shanley
"Frost/Nixon," by Peter Morgan
"The Reader," by David Hare
"Slumdog Millionaire," by Simon Beaufoy
Original Screenplay
"Frozen River," by Courtney Hunt
"Happy-Go-Lucky," by Mike Leigh
"In Bruges," by Martin McDonagh
"Milk," by Dustin Lance Black
"WALL-E," screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon; original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor"
Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn in "Milk"
Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler"
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin in "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt"
Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight"
Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road"
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie in "Changeling"
Melissa Leo in "Frozen River"
Meryl Streep in "Doubt"
Kate Winslet in "The Reader"
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams in "Doubt"
Penélope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis in "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler"
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
"Bolt"
"Kung Fu Panda"
"WALL-E"
Achievement in Art Direction
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Duchess"
"Revolutionary Road"
Achievement in Cinematography
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
Achievement in Costume Design
"Australia"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Duchess"
"Milk"
"Revolutionary Road"
Achievement in Directing
David Fincher for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard for "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant for "Milk"
Stephen Daldry for "The Reader"
Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire"
Best Documentary Feature
"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"
"Encounters at the End of the World"
"The Garden"
"Man on Wire"
"Trouble the Water"
Best Documentary Short Subject
"The Conscience of Nhem En"
"The Final Inch"
"Smile Pinki"
"The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306"
Achievement in Film Editing
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"The Dark Knight," Lee Smith
"Frost/Nixon," Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
"Milk," Elliot Graham
"Slumdog Millionaire," Chris Dickens
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
"The Baader Meinhof Complex" - Germany
"The Class" - France
"Departures" - Japan
"Revanche" - Austria
"Waltz with Bashir" - Israel
Achievement in Makeup
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Greg Cannom
"The Dark Knight," John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan
"Hellboy II: The Golden Army," Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Alexandre Desplat
"Defiance," James Newton Howard
"Milk," Danny Elfman
"Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman
"WALL-E," (Walt Disney) Thomas Newman
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
"Down to Earth" from "WALL-E" by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman
"Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire" Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
"O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire" Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam
Best Motion Picture of the Year
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
Best Animated Short Film
"La Maison en Petits Cubes"
"Lavatory - Lovestory"
"Oktapodi"
"Presto"
"This Way Up"
Best Live Action Short Film
"Auf der Strecke (On the Line)"
"Manon on the Asphalt"
"New Boy"
"The Pig"
"Spielzeugland (Toyland)"
Achievement in Sound Editing
"The Dark Knight"
"Iron Man"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"WALL-E"
"Wanted"
Achievement in Sound Mixing
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"WALL-E"
"Wanted"
Achievement in Visual Effects
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"Iron Man"
Adapted Screenplay
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," screenplay by Eric Roth, screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
"Doubt," by John Patrick Shanley
"Frost/Nixon," by Peter Morgan
"The Reader," by David Hare
"Slumdog Millionaire," by Simon Beaufoy
Original Screenplay
"Frozen River," by Courtney Hunt
"Happy-Go-Lucky," by Mike Leigh
"In Bruges," by Martin McDonagh
"Milk," by Dustin Lance Black
"WALL-E," screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon; original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Like I mentioned, life is more often than not unexpected. The reason I didn't feel like drinking was finally made clear this morning; I awoke feeling terrible, temperature and all, so I very unfortunately had to bail on my brunch outing with Daryl and Mel which we had arranged just minutes before 1am in exchange for a visit to the doctor. I felt much better after being medicated and watching the first non-Steve Jobs Apple Keynote at Macworld 2009, and decided to head out to a) buy a book to bring in tomorrow (Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger, the Man Booker Prize Winner for 2008), b) look for a hat (Springfield is now my top pick) seeing as I won't have much hair come tomorrow, and c) pick up the portable charger from Josh's place. He was asleep unfortunately, so didn't get to talk to him, and I didn't wanna disturb Jake too much longer since he was watching reruns of Gossip Girl or The OC or something.
I'm really thankful I have friends to help me put my results in their right perspective. Though I may not openly show it, I'm actually quite happy with them. That said, in my book, they still warrant the description of pretty ok, nothing more, nothing less. But come tomorrow, I think I'll find that IB results will look incredibly trivial in the light of this new experience. After all, it's all a matter of perspective. Each phase of life, no matter how brilliant, has to end in order for more of life to be experienced.
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
The hours before and after results were as significant as the 2 hours the class of 2008 spent in the ACS (I) Auditorium one last time.
I am awfully glad that I had people to spend Monday with, because if I had to go through the same anxiety I felt on the bus to school this morning all through the night, I might have collapsed. It was only when I had some time to myself on that short ride on 106 listening to my iPod that I fully appreciated the gravity of the outcome of the IB exams. But I'm jumping ahead of myself.
Early Monday afternoon, I met Cielo at Mong's new apartment at The Beaumont on Devonshire Road, right in the heart of town. I hastily dumped my bag for the night and rushed off to the Botanic Gardens, bumping into Jim who was headed to the apartment as well. There, I found Darius and Jo playing a hand of cards which soon ended as we had to find shelter from the rain. Thankfully, a nearby canopy/gazebo thingum was exactly what we needed to rescue our picnic. Cherry soon arrived, and our 2-odd hours of random photo-whoring, cards, nachos, salsa and an assortment of self-made sandwiches. Darius and I then made our way over to the Heeren, where we met Paul and Sean for an early dinner at Pasta De Waraku, which was unexpectedly tasty. They were then headed to watch the finale of Little Nyonya, while I met my classmates at Fish & Co, The Glass House. At one point, the people present were Agi, Cheryl, Elliot, Chun Wui, Jim, Gerald, Gen Huong, Melodie, Cielo and Mong. Coincidentally, Jake was there with his classmates too. We detoured to Carrefour for some groceries, then it was back to the apartment for a night of distractions which came in the form of cards and movies, namely Death Race and Zack And Miri Make A Porno. I fell asleep around 3 on Gen's airbed with Jim and Elliot whlie Mong, Mel and Cielo were out buying stuff. At 640am, owing to lack of space and periodic blasts of cold air from the frigid air conditioning, I literally rolled off the bed and out of the apartment for a walk down Orchard Road. Town in the early morning is incredibly peaceful, and I had time to gather my thoughts at the prospect of knowing my results in a few hours' time, aided along by a Starbucks fix. Around 9, I headed back to find everyone mostly awake and getting ready for our final sojourn to school. It was on 106 that I finally realized what the next 2 hours meant - the fruits of 2 whole years of labour. I had already steeled myself against disappointment, which would soon come in handy. That being said, the class of 2008 surprised me to no end; there was never really any doubt about the potential we had collectively, and it will be difficult to best what we've done. I found myself happy for us as a whole, though when my name was called up early on in the 43s, I remembered what I had told myself since the exams ended and was content. My heartiest congratulations go out to 4 of my classmates in particular - Ted Kin, because nothing short of that 44 would do justice to the work you've put in; Mai, because a perfect 45 in the Sciences with a foreign language to boot is worth every ounce of admiration; Daryl, because we've worked for it so hard in all our classes and you deserve all of those 45 points; and finally to Justin, because we have proven conclusively that it is scientifically impossible for us to best each other. I think we can be pretty pleased with our 43s. =)
We stopped by the SAC where I bid farewell to the Fruit Juice Aunties one last time by purchasing my regular Apple-Orange Juice, then it was off to town, where Mong, Mel and I left the rest to head back to the apartment where we had left our stuff. Cielo and I had to make a trip back to school because of items in the Lost & Found, and I then cabbed back home. Not wanting to spend the evening of results day at home, I tried my hand at organizing a little class get together at the very last minute, texting about 11 of the regulars who usually show up. In the end, Mong, Mel, Joash, Patrick and I met at Hog's Breath Cafe, Holland Village for dinner and a toast to the IB journey and, especially, it's conclusive end, where Gen found us on the way to another gathering. We couldn't find a suitable place for dessert, and so at the early hour of 10, we shook hands and parted, which gave my day an odd finality, knowing that it will be some time till I see most of them again. It is a harrowing thought, but one which is necessary for forward movement.
I have one more day left before I enter NS on Thursday, in the middle of the intake timings, and already I know how I'm gonna spend it. It has been a brilliant ride through IB, the IB exams, and the weeks that followed. There will be no lack of things for me to look back on smilingly as I begin confinement, along with no lack of things to look forward to, in particular applications. Truth be told, it hasn't been entirely encouraging so far, but I don't regret for a second rushing through my applications early. At least I will soon have some sense of closure to the 2 countries I want to study in, and then I can see what to do from there. Hopefully I get my first choice, but as life often is, I will probably be in for more than a few surprises. And quite frankly, I wouldn't have it any other way.
I am awfully glad that I had people to spend Monday with, because if I had to go through the same anxiety I felt on the bus to school this morning all through the night, I might have collapsed. It was only when I had some time to myself on that short ride on 106 listening to my iPod that I fully appreciated the gravity of the outcome of the IB exams. But I'm jumping ahead of myself.
Early Monday afternoon, I met Cielo at Mong's new apartment at The Beaumont on Devonshire Road, right in the heart of town. I hastily dumped my bag for the night and rushed off to the Botanic Gardens, bumping into Jim who was headed to the apartment as well. There, I found Darius and Jo playing a hand of cards which soon ended as we had to find shelter from the rain. Thankfully, a nearby canopy/gazebo thingum was exactly what we needed to rescue our picnic. Cherry soon arrived, and our 2-odd hours of random photo-whoring, cards, nachos, salsa and an assortment of self-made sandwiches. Darius and I then made our way over to the Heeren, where we met Paul and Sean for an early dinner at Pasta De Waraku, which was unexpectedly tasty. They were then headed to watch the finale of Little Nyonya, while I met my classmates at Fish & Co, The Glass House. At one point, the people present were Agi, Cheryl, Elliot, Chun Wui, Jim, Gerald, Gen Huong, Melodie, Cielo and Mong. Coincidentally, Jake was there with his classmates too. We detoured to Carrefour for some groceries, then it was back to the apartment for a night of distractions which came in the form of cards and movies, namely Death Race and Zack And Miri Make A Porno. I fell asleep around 3 on Gen's airbed with Jim and Elliot whlie Mong, Mel and Cielo were out buying stuff. At 640am, owing to lack of space and periodic blasts of cold air from the frigid air conditioning, I literally rolled off the bed and out of the apartment for a walk down Orchard Road. Town in the early morning is incredibly peaceful, and I had time to gather my thoughts at the prospect of knowing my results in a few hours' time, aided along by a Starbucks fix. Around 9, I headed back to find everyone mostly awake and getting ready for our final sojourn to school. It was on 106 that I finally realized what the next 2 hours meant - the fruits of 2 whole years of labour. I had already steeled myself against disappointment, which would soon come in handy. That being said, the class of 2008 surprised me to no end; there was never really any doubt about the potential we had collectively, and it will be difficult to best what we've done. I found myself happy for us as a whole, though when my name was called up early on in the 43s, I remembered what I had told myself since the exams ended and was content. My heartiest congratulations go out to 4 of my classmates in particular - Ted Kin, because nothing short of that 44 would do justice to the work you've put in; Mai, because a perfect 45 in the Sciences with a foreign language to boot is worth every ounce of admiration; Daryl, because we've worked for it so hard in all our classes and you deserve all of those 45 points; and finally to Justin, because we have proven conclusively that it is scientifically impossible for us to best each other. I think we can be pretty pleased with our 43s. =)
We stopped by the SAC where I bid farewell to the Fruit Juice Aunties one last time by purchasing my regular Apple-Orange Juice, then it was off to town, where Mong, Mel and I left the rest to head back to the apartment where we had left our stuff. Cielo and I had to make a trip back to school because of items in the Lost & Found, and I then cabbed back home. Not wanting to spend the evening of results day at home, I tried my hand at organizing a little class get together at the very last minute, texting about 11 of the regulars who usually show up. In the end, Mong, Mel, Joash, Patrick and I met at Hog's Breath Cafe, Holland Village for dinner and a toast to the IB journey and, especially, it's conclusive end, where Gen found us on the way to another gathering. We couldn't find a suitable place for dessert, and so at the early hour of 10, we shook hands and parted, which gave my day an odd finality, knowing that it will be some time till I see most of them again. It is a harrowing thought, but one which is necessary for forward movement.
I have one more day left before I enter NS on Thursday, in the middle of the intake timings, and already I know how I'm gonna spend it. It has been a brilliant ride through IB, the IB exams, and the weeks that followed. There will be no lack of things for me to look back on smilingly as I begin confinement, along with no lack of things to look forward to, in particular applications. Truth be told, it hasn't been entirely encouraging so far, but I don't regret for a second rushing through my applications early. At least I will soon have some sense of closure to the 2 countries I want to study in, and then I can see what to do from there. Hopefully I get my first choice, but as life often is, I will probably be in for more than a few surprises. And quite frankly, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Monday, 5 January 2009
I'm posting now because I won't be able to update until I know my results in less than 24 hours' time. I don't really have a lot of time for meaningful reflection because I've gotta rush for a picnic with Darius, Cherry and Joanna, followed by dinner with Darius, Paul and Sean, followed by a night out on the town with my classmates as we take our minds off the natural anxiety that precedes 11am tomorrow. I've also finished reading Tim O'Brien's Going After Cacciato, and I wholly agree when the New York Times said that "To call Going After Cacciato a novel about war is like calling Moby-Dick a novel about whates." A splendid read, and I've actually been trying to look for another quote to put here, but nothing quite encapsulates the essence of the book as those few lines I posted just before 2008 ended. Being the first real novel I've read for pleasure in quite a number of years, and not knowing when the next time I read something of similar value again, I have a feeling I'll remember it for at least a while. "Imagination, like reality, has its limits."
I'll be back on the other side of results day.
Sunday, 4 January 2009
On the cusp of the week of both my IB results and NS, I have taken a breather from filling my days with as much activity as possible. A regular reply when someone asks you what you've been up to is to say that one has been simply slacking at home or whiling one's time away doing some mundane thing or other such as gaming of whatever sort. It's only during the most hectic of times, both productive and casual, that I see the value in such down time. And there would not be a more appropriate day to have done that than on Sunday, the final day of rest before the rest of my life really begins. 2009 really begins with this week for me; even in the school calendar, the past week has been recognized merely as week 0 (but that calendar has no meaning to me any longer). I'm ready to head into the year proper, one hand in my pocket, taking life as it would have me take it.
Saturday, 3 January 2009
I would honestly have made the effort to head down to church this morning for the YAM retreat which Josh Tay messaged me about yesterday, had it not been for the fact that I only climbed into bed at 5 this morning after submitting my PSC essay. So that kind of ruled out getting up any time before noon. With my morning spent, I met Javier, Sean and Yew Jin at Sun With Moon, Wheelock Place for tea and some chat. Again, I don't have photos of our afternoon, this time because I clean forgot that I was supposed to be recording my week (self-tsk). I had a little time in town before meeting them, so I spent it reading more of the book I've been toting around ever since the exams ended (yes, I'm an incredibly slow reader, but only when it comes to stuff I read for leisure. you should see me with academic texts or the economist. whizzes past way quick), as I'm trying to finish it before results day. After I accompanied Sean to Kino, I ran some errands, namely a) collecting my new black specs, and b) locating the ubiquitous watch which Paul was seen wearing.
So to make up for my lack of a photograph to frame this post and because I've been running NS errands (the only ones I actually plan to run, I wasn't planning on letting it take up too much of my time), I shall spend the rest of this post talking about 2 things related to my enlistment on Thursday, 'cos the number of days I have left till then can now be counted comfortably using the fingers on one hand.
1) Just because I've not actually talked about it doesn't mean I have not completely and utterly dissected the exact date and time when I'm going in, so now's a good time to get these thoughts out. 8th January 2009, 11:30am will be one of those seminal moments I probably will remember, along with November 20th 2008, 10:00 am and so forth. So first, the date. Of those of my ilk, there are just 2 intakes we could have been assigned - freakishly early January, or freakishly late April. I have been stumped each and every single time I've tried to rationalize how we've been put into these 2 groups, though the best answer I've got so far is from Josh, who is the authority I trust most regarding such matters, and it is a fairly positive answer. Of course, there are times when I think that having 4 more months to myself would be welcome, 'cos I've never actually had that much time to not do anything, but I've already more or less lived the days after my exams the way I would have wanted to, and I wouldn't change a thing about the past weeks, and my thoughts are subsequently directed to two important facts about this date that affords me reason to be content. Firstly, I don't think I would have really spent my time doing nothing, instead working probably as either a tutor (surprise surprise) or coach (excellent money I'm told), and since I'm not particularly inclined to the idea of working now when I've got the next 35 years after Uni to do that, it's good that I've got something to occupy my time with now. Secondly, going in early means that, if PSC doesn't work out, I'll be out in November 2010, rather then the next year if I had been shuffled into the April batch. So within the early January intake, there are 4 possible days, the 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th. I've considered if I'd be happier having one more day to myself like those going in on Friday, and then I think about those going in on the Tuesday (ok so they don't actually go in then since it's results day) or Wednesday and I'm ok with Thursday. That said, the majority of the people in school (and outside school for that matter) whom I'm closest to are either in the April batch, Jan 28th, or Jan 9th, the latter being particularly true for those in my class and ex-class. Despite this, the 8th is perhaps the single most populated date where the people I know are concerned (there's a rather crowded FB group as evidence), and I do know some good friends sharing the same date, so that's good. Second, the exact time. Off the top of my head, I know of 3 others who have the same time, none of whom I'm extremely close to, but that probably won't be a matter. Just as Josh was pleasantly surprised to see people he knew on his enlistment day almost exactly 2 years ago when I went to see him off, I probably will see people whom I know then.
2) The prospect of having 22 months required of me is something which does keep me up at night thinking, more so these days as Thursday approaches. However, it is not entirely negative. This is for a few reasons. First and foremost, I've more or less witnessed first-hand the completely successful tenure Josh has had, and if I were to be able to replicate half of that and emerge not only unscathed but better for it, I'd have reason to be at peace. I don't actually know anyone very personally who has gone through the PSC route which I want, not even my direct seniors, so it's kinda hard to envision it exactly. But if that doesn't work out at least I can envision the regular non-PSC route quite clearly. Secondly, some of my those in my year have already been in since December and seem not to have been entirely traumatized, and it is their can-do attitude that gives me reason to think that it's perfectly manageable. Thirdly, my direct seniors, at least those I know personally like Auggie (ok, I think he's the only one I know personally; I wasn't quite chummy with the class of '07 for some reason, hmmm) have managed half of their tenures just fine. Though apparently none of them are taking over in Tekong, I'm told other things about where I'm going that are pretty ok, all things considered.
There you have it, my necessary reflections before I begin 22 months, whenever they may be completed. If Thursday is 0, today is 5, and with a little more of it left (and it's already been a pretty good Saturday, on both the productive and social fronts I might add), I'll be sure to make the countdown from day 5 really (for a lack of a better word) count.
It had originally been my idea to have one last class gathering before results day, and after I mentioned it to Ron, we decided to attempt to plan a cycling trip for today, the second day of the year. As with many plans, the day turned out quite differently from what I had envisioned it to be. Instead of the physical activity that cycling would have provided, I was awoken by Ron's call slightly before 2pm this afternoon informing me that we would instead be engaging in a decidedly un-physical, LAN gaming. So shortly after I met Sean for a Subway Sub, we met the rest at Paradiz Centre for an hour of Left 4 Dead, the game everyone seems to be playing. I think I didn't quite get the game until a while later, so I will probably enjoy it more if I play it for longer next time. After dinner at Hot Tomato Express (at this point there were 10 of my classmates, Ron, Clarence, Elendrus, Sean, Xin Quan, Elden, Wesley, Ryan, Chang Yun and 1), we watched Will Smith's 7 Pounds, which was by no definition a great movie. I'm glad I helped make the decision not to watch it last night when we were trying to make a choice. I've watched all 4 of his latest movies, including Hancock, I Am Legend and The Pursuit Of Happyness, and I've not been particularly impressed by any except for perhaps the latter. I left town for the second night in a row past midnight, and once again I don't have quite as many photos as I would have liked, owing to not being as readily cam-whorey as many others. It was a good, if not short, second day, with possibly an equally enjoyable third on the way.
Friday, 2 January 2009
For all years in memory, New Year's Day or January 1st usually marks this impasse between the high of Christmas and the low of having to go to school the next day. Hence, it is not tradition to make any plans on the night of the 1st. That, however, was not the case for the first day of 2009, since for once, we don't have school on the 2nd. I think it was this realization that drove some of my classmates and I to make plans at around 6 to meet at 7 in town for a movie. This was immediately after our New Year's soiree at Mel's place which ended just a few hours before, and a few of us were still surviving on about 2-3 full hours of sleep. As fate would have it, after 3 games of pool at Lucky Plaza where I probably cost Gerald our first 2 games by playing irrepressibly poorly, Cheryl, Elliot, Patrick, Mong, Gerald and I picked Australia out of all the other possible movies. (At Lido I met Daniel and Stuart and their classmates which reminded me of the plans I need to confirm for tomorrow; can the lunch, green light the cycling/dinner/movie) And an inspired decision it was. On the way back home I toyed with the idea of writing an actual review of this movie since it is the first real movie I've watched in about a quarter of a year (Ip Man doesn't really count as a review-able movie, not to say it was bad or anything), but in my slightly dazed state, suffice to say it turned out to be a brilliant movie, and unexpectedly so for an epic 3-hour movie. Because of the impromptu nature of the outing, I don't have any photos to add to the album of my week I've been building. That is not to say I didn't have my camera with me; I guess I'm still not that trigger-happy to start snapping away in public places, yet. Regardless, I've had an incredible first day, and will happily sleep late into the second before continuing this brilliant start to what will hopefully be a magnificent year.
Thursday, 1 January 2009
I toyed with the idea of posting slightly after the new year began late last night/early this morning, but in the midst of friends, I decided to just let my thoughts slide and pick them up again once I got home, which was a few minutes ago.
This week has been a microcosm of my year, and as 2008 gave way to 2009, the symmetry of the week which I mentioned in my earlier post continued. I began the last day of 08 doing Uni Apps, and I will end the first day of 09 finishing up my PSC App. Mahjong was present on both sides of midnight, as was our screening of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. The people whom I spent most of 2008 with were also the people with whom I spent the first few hours of 2009. A class party for every occasion indeed.
At the height of last night, the people gathered at Mel's place were Mel, Mong, Daryl, Gen Huong, Ted Kin, Darren, Nic, Cheryl, Jim, Gerald and I. Elliot joined the 8 of us who had stayed over night at the tail-end of brunch at Holland Village at noon (after our discovery that the years of double-beeping EZ-link taps were a thing of the past), and by the time we left, there were just 5 of us who had stayed to watch Burn After Reading and clean up the place.
If 2009 turns out to be anything like it's very first day, I think I could very contentedly live with that.
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