Hair For Hope 2012

 

To all children with cancer

Keep smiling, keep fighting

We're here to fight with you,

To smile with you

To be beside you

Alright as promised I will fill you up on this year's Hair For Hope which I went yesterday! Well I went again today with Nivedha, to take some photos and to meet her for lunch as well. And OMG a photographer took a photo of me with his Leica M9! I was like spazzing just now, me is happyboy92! Hahaha. I hope they will upload it on HFH Facebook page! It's like my first Leica photo.

Anyway yep, this year is my third year shaving for Hair For Hope. It all began back in year one, when I went with Saeyeoh and also Huiting. And then in year 2 more people joined, Victor, Yang Peng, Elton. And this year... I went alone! Haha sad, but it's great to know from my Facebook homepage that there are other people who shaved. Two females actually, a CLS senior of mine and Jeslyn's sister! So brave of these young ladies. SALUTE! :D

 

Salute to this beautiful lady who shaved!

Being my third year shaving... Well I decided to do more interesting stuff. I recorded my shaving process! I'll show you the video below hehe. Took it with my iPod touch and edited it via Windows Movie Maker. It's really fun doing this hehe. And I took a few photos today as well which I hope to share it on HFH FB page so that people can see it.

Hair For Hope has become like a yearly event for me since I signed up for it 2 years ago. I think it's pretty much a symbolic event, not just simply an "event". As I said last year, you have to go through it to feel how symbolic it is (Especially the ladies!). It's more than just shaving your head bald, it's also to morally show your support to the children with cancer.

I guess shaving is the least I could do. Losing my hair is nothing compared to the conditions that they have to go through while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well. I know how it feels, indirectly of course, seeing my aunt going through all these. Losing her hair slowly and seeing the pain and weakness in her face at times when she was here for treatment.

 

You're never too old, or too young to shave ^^

Being an adult, I guess she, and the few others have a higher pain threshold and also a more understanding about life. Challenges, accepting the fact, and so on. But children, not so much. They are pretty young and having this disease is not something easy for them to accept. The pain, the conditions they have to go through etc are not something easy to accept.

So this event is very symbolic for us, and for them too. I guess it goes to all children with cancer, not only in Singapore but around the world. This act of "silence" we are going through speaks louder than a thunder of a thousand words to them. Spiritually, morally, though not necessarily physically. I really hope they will feel supported by our acts. Though we're not there physically to tell them it's okay to be bald. Just hope our actions will! (And of course they will)

And not only being a symbolic event, but Hair For Hope is well, I think, an event that taught me lots of things too. Today I bought the book of stories written by some of the cancer survivors, which I can't wait to read! I hope to find a day to just spend the whole day reading it. And so lovely of them to give them their signatures on the book too hehe.

Stay Strong!

One thing I realised about them that I never fail to notice is this - they're a bunch of energetic, bubbly, lively and cheerful kids. At times I think, they went through so much and yet somehow their smile and energy hide away the things that they have went through. So knowing all the people I met just now are cancer survivors, I'm just awed and inspired really.

It's such a pity that well I guess we tend to take things for granted. We tend to give up when life gets tough. We tend to just feel that we're worthless when things get rough. I myself, sometimes, is one of these people. I have to admit I'm someone who's easily stressed. But I don't give up, but I just feel horrible at times when things are going wrong etc and I don't have the motivation to go on.

Having these survivors around me just now is just a reminder for me that we need to live life to the fullest. At times we don't know how lucky we are to have a healthy body up till now. No serious disease has ever struck on us and we are one healthy individual that's kicking-ly healthy. Battling a cancer is not just a "recovery" but is a journey. And these people have went through this tough and arduous journey and I'm really proud of them. Inspired by them. 

Don't just take things things for granted. When life gets tough, you simply give up? When problems pop by here and there, you simply walk away? Then take a look at those survivors. Trust me they went through much worst conditions and times before and did they give up? No. So simply, there is also no reason to give up when things get tough around you too!


So yeah I reckon HFH as not just something symbolic and supportive for children with cancer. But it also taught me so many things I can learn and apply in life as well. If you wish to go next year, I recommend you to go! Haha. Trust me once you go through it I think you'll understand how symbolic it is. I heard some passer-bys at Vivo just now commenting "Why would you want to shave your head for this event?" "Why would people queue up to get their head shaved?"

My answer is there for you to read hehehe.

Okay that's all for now. Here's the video of me shaving this year! Please pardon the weird faces and if it's too soft for you to hear me. I recorded this with my iPod touch so that explains why hehe. Enjoy!



And well my point of view is this. People may call me brave to go for Hair For Hope. But well I don't think they should call me brave. The children with cancer are the brave souls. And because of them, I'm brave too. :)

I'm bald, once again!

Hi guys! Yep today was the day I've been waiting for... And it's Hair For Hope 2012! Third time shaving and the event is still as awesome as ever :D It feels good to once again be alongside children with cancer, though it's not physically but well at least, morally :)

I'll have more updates for you guys tomorrow ok! I'm just too sleepy and tired to blog till late tonight sorry :O But yep tomorrow I'm coming down to Vivo again with Nivedha to meet for lunch, and just to see see the 2nd day of HFH hehe. Plus I'm taking some photos too :D

Alright I'm off to bed, yes, very early for a Saturday but I'm pretty sleepy now idk why :O Alright see ya ^^

Sick

Hmm yes today was really a not so good day for me especially this morning. Was having fever last night but since I'm allergic to paracetamol, I decided to sleep it off. Woke up in the morning feeling better with the fever gone. But when I went to work, I feel like vomiting and so I skipped breakfast. And 27 minutes after work... I vomited in school -_- I don't know what's wrong with me.

So I know I don't want to spend my whole day feeling horrible at work and thus I decided to take MC today :/ Went to the doctor and the doctor says my throat is infected (that explains my sore throat) and I'm now on antibiotics. Thankfully I'm feeling better now though, after spending almost the entire day sleeping. Sleep surely is the best medicine.

I hope I'll get better tomorrow. If I woke up still feeling bleargh I will not come to work. But I hope that won't happen. Somehow missing a day of work feels like missing a week of school.... Plus I have quite a lot of things to do and yup time is precious!

Called mum today and she was telling me almost everyone is falling sick back at home too! So does Syazwani, and a few others. Please take care people, seems like there's a bug going round uh. Drink lots of water and spam fruits! Haha. Don't forget the vitamins too.

Alright just a short update. Off to bed now. See ya! :)

Toda I Ran Against Cancer

Yup today I Ran Against Cancer!

As I was saying on my last post, yup today was the race day for the event Run Against Cancer which was held in East Coast Park. It was my first 15KM run and I was really nervous by it since this will be the longest distance of race that I've participated so far. Well it was interestingly... Challenging. A few unfortunate events happened during my race and bleah, I've learnt my lesson.

Okay so the distance is 15KM right, here are the series of unfortunate events. At 6 KM my pants' pocket tore and my phone dropped on this super awkward position in my pants (not what you're thinking!) and so I have to stop to take it and put it in my back pocket instead. At 8 KM while drinking water I threw up cause I choked on it. Lesson learnt, no running while drinking. It took me some time to recover and yeah was feeling so unpleasant. 12 KM, my whole leg was cramping. My knees hurt when my feet landed. Was forced to walk for a while. And I've been walking-running from 12 - 14 K.

Above all of these, what I'm proud of is that I did the whole race and I finished it. I didn't stop and walk all the way to the finish line which was something I planned to do when my knees were hurting. Was just thinking to walk from 12 to 13, but nope, I just walked a few metres and ran and walked a bit and ran and after 14K, I just gave it all and zoom!

Yes I'm pretty disappointed with my timing. Actually I don't know what's my timing... But yeah I took longer than I expected. And as I planned to run for. But it's okay, just goes to show me that I can still improve on my timing. It was my first 15 after all and I really didn't know what to expect. But yes at the end of the day, that sense of accomplishment was just awesome.

It feels different, it felt like SCMS 2011 last year.

 Doreen, Russel and I! :D

But come to think of it, this seemingly arduous 15KM that I went through is nothing compared to the battle that cancer patients have to go through. The pain of chemo, radiation, drug effects this and that, my run is nothing. And this is what kept me going through the run. I think if these cancer patients have the courage to fight the disease, I sure can have the strength to finish the race too!

Cancer... Has been well. A few of my relatives have lost their battle with this disease. My grandpa, grandma, great-uncle and aunt. My good friend's dad, and a few other people which I know as well. My aunty, however, is one particular individual which I can refer to closely. She has been battling with cancer for... Was it 6 years? I know before I came to Singapore and then she passed away when I was in P6. Shocking news I received when I reached home. That day...

My aunty's battle is a special story for me. She would come to Singapore for her chemotherapy sessions back when I was in P5. I still remember those days when I would accompany her during her sessions at Mt Elizabeth hospital. She would be on the drips, while I was doing my homework. Sometimes we chatted, sometimes she would fall asleep.

And I would also come and visit her at the hotel, and bring her around to and fro the hotel and the hospital. Back when I was in P4 my brother and I would also come and visit her. I still remember she was teaching my brother economics and accountancy stuff. We would eat together or bring food to her. She was really one strong woman I know.

Then in P5 when I went back for December holidays, she was hospitalised back in my hometown. My family gathered and seeing her in a dire condition hurt me. There was one incident when she vomited blood out and I was there wiping her mouth and cheek. And she told me "Sorry for troubling you" and I said "it's okay", not knowing that night was the last time I would see her. I returned to Singapore the next day, and 2 months later, she left this world.

And my other aunties were telling me more stories of her, of how strong she was to fight the disease. In one night it felt like she was going to leave and the next day, she was there reading newspaper eating fruits. She has the will to live. And the strength to continue fighting. That's why this run, I was so reminded of her. She kept me going in one way or another.

And also she was the one who taught me some songs on the piano. Swan Lake, I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing, and a few more. I still have her old piano scores which she once used when she was learning piano (I think). Pity I didn't really play all the songs inside.

So yeah, those are the reasons why I this run reminded me so much of her.

Nyehehehe

To all cancer patients, everywhere you are, please don't give up your fight and continue battling the disease! Perseverance is key, and your courage never failed to amaze me, to inspire me to fight the challenges I have in life too. I cannot give up and so do you! :)

And... In this race I did something special too!

 
Tadah! I placed this behind my singlet just to cheer people up. I know I'll be too tired to verbally say this to everyone so I hope this cheered up the runners who ran pass me! Cause nothing beats the joy of making someone's day, especially in a race when everything seems tough. Just inspired by some runners in last year's SCMS who did the same thing too hehe. Plus it's fun doing this!

There are a few groups of people who tapped my shoulder and said thank you, or some people who gave thumbs up as they ran pass me. But there's this special group of runners that I'm really appreciative of. I remember it was the 13 KM mark and I was running alone (the road was empty). Suddenly 4 guys surrounded me and cheered me up and ran along with me for a while!

I was feeling extremely tired then. I was thirsty, having cramps, and I couldn't seem to find the 14th KM mark haha. But these people seriously boosted my morale and I ran even faster, and pushed myself even more! Thank you to the 4 of you :)

I hope more people will do this during marathons too. I felt happy when people gave me thumbs up or smiles. And I hope that people felt an increase in morale as they saw this on my back. And if there are people who did this and I saw it too, I'll feel the same way. Make others happy, share your joy, cause happiness never decreases when being shared.

Hmm now what to write for Safra run hehehe.

Alright I guess that's all for the long post! Week 15 tomorrow. It'll be an awesome-r week and well, I began the week with an awesome run, and gonna end the week with another awesome event! Can't wait for Saturday :D :D :D Good night and see you!

Restless

Hello everyone, been long since I posted here. Yup this week was indeed a long week and I'm kinda happy that it's over. It's great of course, with my birthday and celebrating it. And also I did more scanning and got some nice images. Which I'm really happy with. I hope we can get more better images to come in the future though. More collagens! Sounds so mean...

Anyway yup this week somehow I've been feeling really restless... I don't know why. And as you've read from my birthday post, even after my birthday I'm still feeling pretty homesick. But well whatever the case is I think I'm getting better. I'm just not used to this. I've never felt so homesick before during my study here. Sudden homesickness sucks but well... That's life.

I've another run tomorrow, Run Against Cancer! :) It'll be my first 15KM run and... I'm scared and nervous now. I hope I can pull through it tomorrow! I need to push myself too, to prepare for SCMS 21. Whatever the case, I'm going to enjoy my run tomorrow! That's a definite yes. Plus it's always awesome to run for a cause too. Right? :)

Today was a normal Saturday I suppose. I woke up really late today at 1 PM -_- couldn't believe myself as well. It's been such a long time since I had a long long sleep. I usually wake up at 10/11 on Saturdays. Perhaps goes to show how tired I am. And for the rest of the day I was either watching TV and since today was a fine day, I took lots of photos! :)

I was going to eat instant noodle for lunch but I got cravings for soups. So I went to Clementi for it, my usual stall in Clementi Mall foodcourt haha. And I was co-incidentally chatting with Tacy over SMS and just randomly asked her if she wants to meet-up too since it's been a long time since we met. Although she didn't join me for lunch, we did meet for a cup of tea in Starbucks! Thank you for coming down to have a short catch-up with me. It's been a long time, like one year plus, since we've met! :)

On the way home I was pondering about this. Like well... As much as we always tell ourselves that change is the only constant in this world, I feel that well there are always part of us that never change. We may change physically, mentally and in maturity as well. But parts of us will never change. And that's what make us unique individuals on earth. Oh, and memories never change too.

Anyway today was such a fine day. And so I took lots of photos. I've compiled them into a collage and here it is! All taken today. So lovely!

And just a thought that well, I'm never tired of taking photos of the sky. I've taken loads of it and well never tired of it. Of skies, clouds and just the fine weather. I think they are beautiful and they are like life itself. Just like life, sometimes the sky looks beautiful and fine, blue with puffy white clouds. And there are also times when it's black and grotesque. Scary and gloomy, before the rain.

And just like life too, there are the beautiful moments that we love, great days where we are happy and glee and also the bad ones when we don't feel like doing anything and everything just seems wrong. But at the end of the day, we always pull through it. I guess all these imperfections in life are the things that make it beautiful and sweet. The bitter days we pull through, the sweet days we cherish.

The sky scape is an ever changing one. No sky look like another. No clouds pattern look exactly like another. After the rain comes the sun, after the sun comes the clouds and the rain and it goes on. We can never have a sunny day everyday, can never have a rainy day everyday. Contemplation of impermanence. Though your good days seem to leave you, your bad days will one day leave you too.

Alright yup, I just love the skies. I love to watch the clouds go by and just let time fly. I hope the wind would carry away the troubles of yesterday. As the sun would set to welcome another day. I hope the birds would carry my dreams together, high above the sky forever. And the clouds would take me to places I've never seen before, another land undiscovered, and adventure waiting to be ventured.

Okay all the best to those running tomorrow! We can do this yeah! Run like the wind and run against cancer! If those cancer patients can have the courage and will to fight the disease, I'm sure we too can have the strength and will to finish the race. Alrightttt!!

Being 20

On being 20....

First of all wishing myself a happy birthday! 20 years I've lived in this world... A beautiful place, a beautiful journey I called life. And I surely have a long way to go, as much as I've ventured a long way too. Today I said goodbye to teenhood and say hello to being an adult. I feel old, I feel that time is flying too quickly. But I know life has to move on. And so will I.

I will walk a stronger, braver and more optimistic. Sure life will get tougher as it reveals itself more to me. As it reveals more to me, its ugly side, its beauty, its ups and downs. I will savour each moment more. And I know I will be a better person walking and venturing this long journey that's ahead of me.

The past 20 years, I've learnt a lot. Gained a lot, lost a few. Just like life itself. I've rode this merry-go-round as I love to call it. Like a merry-go-round, sometimes the horse we ride went up, and down slowly, gracefully. Yet at the end of the day, we will enjoy the ride. A cheerful glee inside out heart burst just like as if we are kids. When we are no longer one.

For the past 10 years I've been spending my birthday in Singapore. Not back at home, with my parents, my family. Though well the early years my brother and sister were in Singapore. I usually felt okay, they would call me through phone to wish my a happy birthday. But then this year it was different. I felt terribly homesick for the past two weeks. And spending my birthday alone was something I didn't expect to be that tough, that challenging. I almost cried last night.

My sister - whom called me at night to wish me a happy birthday and talked with me for a little while. And my mum who specially set alarm clock at 11 PM Indo time just to send me an sms of happy birthday. My sis who sent me an sms at night too. Then my grandma and dad who called me today, listening to them, talking to them just made me feel a whole lot better. Last but not least, my lovely cousins who sent me their wishes through whatsapp and twitter, and Facebook.

It was so tough today afternoon when I called my mum. I almost cried when she sang me a happy birthday song through my phone. But I know I can't. It'll be so embarrassing since I called her in the middle of work. Especially when somehow work gets tough and at times everything felt wrong. Added with my homesickness which I had been having for the past two weeks. Listening to her voice just made me... Sad and yet at the same time it comforts me.

I didn't expect this year to be so tough for me. I've been a fool telling myself hey I can do this. I can spend my 3rd year alone. But I totally didn't expect this to happen. To be so tough just so emotionally burdening. But whatever the case, through my 20 years of existence I've learnt that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. I have to pull this through no matter how hard.

Plus it's gonna be another month till I'm going back home just for a while.

And of course there are another group of people that made me a whole lot better too. My friends. Whom wished me late at night as well, and early in the morning. From various way of platforms which  I really appreciate your thoughts and act. I was thinking I'm going to feel homesick for the entire day. But thanks to you guys, you made the other way round.

Thanks to Jolene, Carmen, Melissa, Sharon and Weilun for the dinner today. And the awesome macaroon cake! Appreciate it a lot. And also for treating me with the ramen, and Weilun for the mouse ^^ Thank you Kai Xuan and Vithya for the beautiful album. And to also co-ordinate the people for writing the messages for me: Zaki, Syazwani, Saeyeoh, Ms Jesslyn, Nicholas, Yong An, Leon and of course not forgetting Kai and Vithya too. I need an album and so it's awesome!

To my awesome clarinet section for wishing me in whatsapp hahaha (Thanks Jocelyn for starting the wish mwahaha). And basically to everyone who wished me in Facebook, Twitter, SMS, Whatsapp, you call it. Thank you so much for making my day :)

Now that I'm 20, well everyone would love to stay as young as possible, as long as possible. But I know we must grow up too. As much as I know that well, life is going to get tough, so will I. Like a growing bar I'm going to grow with life. If it gets tougher, so will I get tougher. If it becomes more beautiful, I will become beautiful too. I will not give up and I should never.

19 was a great year for me. A year which I get to try many different things. A year which I learnt the most about life, about science and studies. I guess it's really a stepping stone for me to being an adult. And well as much as I've learnt many things in 19, I'm sure I will learn more in 20 too. I will try many more new things, and I hope to become a better someone than I was back a year ago. Like an ugly caterpillar that turns into a beautiful butterfly.

Like a flower we need to grow through the dirty soils. Life's like that. Through the challenges we become a better person. A better individual. Like a knife that sharpens through the friction of a stone. The challenges in life are the ones that make us stronger.

I hope in the coming year, which also co-incidentally falls on my last year in poly, I hope to become a better person, to grow into a better individual, mature better to become an adult. Live my life to the very fullest as always, be as optimistic and strong and brave like the sun. Looking at the brighter side of life cause life is too short, and it doesn't come twice either.

It's practically now or never.

Alright it's getting late at night now. I'm heading to sleep. But once again, thank you everyone for making my day, a beautiful day :) Good night!

And PS:
This birthday, as I was predicting, will be a tipping point.

Last day of 19

 And even when the clouds are coming

You can always be the sun that's shining

Well yes. If you know, and you don't need to know, but now you know, I'll be turning 20 tomorrow. So that makes today the last day of my 19 years and tomorrow marks the 20th year that I've been living on this beautiful planet we call earth and this wonderful place we call life. And... Sad to say today wasn't exactly a great day. Perhaps it's not a great day, just a sign that the rest of my 20 will be a good one I suppose?

Just a mixture of weird feelings that I had today that contributed to this feeling of mine. Actually nothing really bad happened. Just yeah my feelings, thoughts and so on. It's very hard to explain and I don't want to explain it here. But I guess one day you will all find out.

Anyway yup today was great, we finally get to try to scan the kidney samples on the SHG microscope and it's a pretty cool thing! Felt really "wow" when I get to see something on the screen haha. I'm sorry for leaving halfway though, I have to meet Syaz to take the book at Buona and then come back for band so yeah. I hope I get to do more another time.

Band was awesome I guess. Feeling really happy playing 1812 and also the two new pieces of LOTR movements! Totally didn't regret joining band, I get to play the pieces I've been wanting to play haha. And yup have to say 1812 was much better than the first time we played it back... 3 months ago? With hard work I'm sure we can polish it nicely for MD! Go go SPSB :D

And yes I have to say 1812 was just such a perfect song to play for today. For me that is. It's a great song to end the day with a bang. To end my 19 with a bang. It's a perfect song to symbolise and summarise how great 19 was for me. It was a good year I suppose, the year I did so many new things, the year where great events happened. The year I learnt the most about life (so far).

But as I grow older I'm sure the life is going to reveal itself more for me. It's going to get interesting, and pretty sure to get tough. It will reveal its great side and also its ugly. But nothing beats the fact that well I'm going to live my life. Through age we grow, through experience we age. Wisdom comes with age. And yes. Life's imperfectness are just a way we learn and how we grow along, to become a better person. Life's perfectly imperfect after all.

Right, I guess I will stop here. Shall write more tomorrow. And may tomorrow, and the rest of the week, the rest of the month, be better. I know it will.

Good night.

My little buddy

Today was indeed a great Saturday, even though it was a rainy one! :D Yup I went out with Vithya, Candy, Kai and Rebekah. The 4 of us went for lunch first and Rebekah joined us later hehe. Kind of a sad fact that it rained when I want to go out when it will be sunny when I stay at home -_-

Anyway we had lunch at this Indian restaurant in Little India called Banana Lead Apollo Restaurant! I think it's the yummiest and most-affordable Indian food that I've ever eaten! Seriously good. Sadly we only had Southern Indian food as the Northern one was only available in the evening so yeah, too bad I guess. But the mutton mysore was delicious. And the briyani is nice as well. Gonna eat there again one day to try more food. Especially my Palak Paneer~ Hahaha.

And then we headed to Lavender to meet Rebekah and....

Yes I got my ukulele! :D I got myself a Aleho Concert Ukulele as an early birthday present for me hehe. Plus it's my new year resolution to learn a new instrument. And I've decided to pick the ukulele cause it's simple, nice and lovely! And sweet too. So yup I hope to learn more chords and practice hard so that I can play songs on it :D Gonna be lovely hehe.

While Kai left for the food expo, Vithya back home as she's feeling unwell (get well soon!), Reb, Candy and I went back to Lavender and met Kian Tat which we 4 then cabbed back to Candy's house for steamboat. It's so yummy! Thanks Candy and your family for the steamboat dinner hehe. It made me less homesick, cause I've been feeling like that for the past few weeks. Oh well one more month!

It's kind of... Surreally weird that I'm going to turn 20 in a few days time. Time just flies, so yeah... It's time for me to leave the -teens behind and venture the adult life. Of course as I grow older, I'm going to be revealed to many more things, many more obstacles. Life is going to get more interesting, life is going to reveal itself more to me. But well, it's part and parcel of life's journey isn't it? :)

Alright gonna head to the temple tomorrow so gonna sleep now. See ya! :D

Great Saturday, what I really need! :)

10 months ago

This photo was taken exactly 10 months ago. The 12th of September 2011, in Duolun County, Inner Mongolia, China. I took this photo of my Overseas Community Involvement Programme (OCIP) team mates when we were there, being a part of an environmental project called 

Green Desert by Asian Journeys.

27 of us went there, planted 1133 fir tree saplings. In an attempt to make the desert green. Surely mother earth has returned her favour to us. As we planted those saplings, we do too plant seeds of friendship among us. The friendship forged, memories captured, stories written.

10 months ago I was standing there in our planting site. The day, 12/9/2011 was the day when we finished planting our saplings. I could remember clearly that it was slightly drizzling. I was feeling down, for I know there wouldn’t be any nice sunset to mark this special day. But I was wrong.

The rain stopped, the sky cleared a little. And the sky turned yellowish-orange. It was a nice moment and we all lined up above the railway track near our planting site. I took my camera, I know it would make a nice shot with the sun against their backs. And so I did. And this is what it is.

The memories, the sight of them as I took this photo is now being preserved for eternity. Till one day when I lost it. But then this photo is enough to make me remember that exact moment by which my mates are standing there waiting for their photo to be taken.

The memories of the trip still linger with me like the autumn air that we breathed. The people, the view, the food, the smell, the air, the coldness, everything. Duolun, the blue skies, the cold wind.

I miss them so much.

Summer

 Tomato-bread salad for dinner tonight. Yumz~

Hmm.. I'm currently in love with songs that remind me of summer. I mean yes, Singapore is like summer all year round sort of. But you know, just some nice songs which I can relate to summer. Song like... We Are The People by Empire of The Sun! And and awesome French song titled Soleil D'aout by Dan Kamit, which means Sun of August (by google translate haha).

Listen to them, they sound like summer really. Me... In a car, driving pass highways under the blue skies. Then the sound system of my car blasting with these songs. And the wind would blow onto my face, refreshing and strong. Like a nice beautiful day. Uhh yeah. I wish I can do all these. But reality is no haha. Not only I don't have a license but I don't have a top-less car! -_-

But nothing beats the escapism of the mind right~

Anyway hello, finally I'm blogging now when I've been telling myself to blog. It's the Monday-Tuesday syndrome where I don't want to blog. These two days are like the I-don't-want-to-blog-days. Hahaha. Oh well. Plus there weren't anything much to blog about. So yeah.

But yes, this week is proceeding well. Believe it or not I finally got to start my experiment on Monday! Yes! After 12 weeks haha, and well I could have started last week but I couldn't as I took leave. But hey I'm just happy that at least I started already :D Though it's just staining, but I'm really happy cause it's my first time staining a tissue sample (and not cells). So it's awesome! :)

And I get to take nice pictures too hehe yum yum.

I've always loved the microscope. It lets me see things I can't see with the eye. And yep, it lets me discover the things that we cannot comprehend by looking at the outside I suppose. Though yes, through this staining protocol I've learnt how subjective normal staining can get. I can't wait to get to the non-staining part :) Yay ness hehe.

Today somehow I felt like listening to this great Indonesian song that I always loved. I can cry watching the video alone. Whenever I feel stressed out, I would watch this video. It would make me sad, but at the same time it would give me the fighting spirit too! It's called "Jangan Menyerah" by D'Masiv. It translates to don't give up. I'll post some of the nice lyrics below.



Alright some of my favourite lyrics are....

The intro

"Tak ada manusia, yang terlahir sempurna. 
Jangan kau sesali, segala yang telah terjadi"

No human is born perfect, don't regret whatever that has happened

"Syukuri apa yang ada, hidup adalah anugerah
Tetap jalani hidup ini, melakukan yang terbaik"

Be grateful of what you have, life itself is a gift. Always live life, giving your best

"Tuhan pasti kan menunjukan, kebesaran dan kuasa nya
Bagi hamba nya yang sabar, dan tak kenal putus asa"

God will always show his greatness and power,
for the people who are patient, and those who never give up

Nice lyrics right! Haha. Anyway the video itself is so sad. Looking at those street performers who seek their livelihood just to perform on the roadside, hoping the passing cars and people would give them a measly amount of money to survive. These street performers are kind of common in Indonesia. They're like buskers but they dance. The look on their face made me sad.

So yeah when I'm feeling stressed and life seems very tough, I would listen to this song. And I would watch the video to remind myself that there are other people who are living a tougher life than me, trying to survive. So I should feel more grateful, and I should be as strong as them to fight these troubles I'm facing. If they can do it, I sure can too. We're all humans after all.

Yup... Sharing my favourite song. I hope it cheers you up too! :) Goodnight people.

and...

PS: I miss home.

I Believe in Music XXX

 Thanks for coming guys! (Y)

Good evening everyone! I just got back from SP Symphonic Band I Believe in Music (IBM) XXX concert! It was a great concert, I had a great time performing on that stage, playing my heart out, though I was feeling really damn, freaking, very nervous for Indiana Jones. Cause I have a duet part! Haha. It was shaky, but well I totally gave my best there. And I played my heart out.

It was just... Lovely :)

Anyway today was a great Sunday I guess! It started with Jurong Lake Run 2012 in the morning. Gosh, I woke up late, went to the wrong place, ran around to look for the bag deposit post, ran here and there before I even began the race. But I made it in time for the flag off and I even hit my target! And I even hit it earlier by like 39 seconds hahaha. It was great though :)

I really enjoyed the run at Chinese Garden. I've always loved running in new places. The air was fresh (Cause it was raining super early in the morning) and then the lake beside you, really good. Plus I really love the community-spirit there! Random strangers cheering you beside the road, helpers from all walks of life and ages giving you high-fives and cheering you up. Love it!

It was a funny moment though when I thought the Chinese Garden gate was the finish-point gantry hahaha. Despite of all the ordeals I went before the run, I did it, I made it, and I'm a proud finisher of Jurong Lake Run 2012 6KM race! And if you ask me why do I run for? As usual my answer will be I run to overtake myself. But this time round I have another reason.

To support Children Cancer Foundation! Since the event was in support  of CCF :D

After the run I went straight to school after taking a bath and dropping my stuff. And then it began with sound checks etc. I kinda like the fact that concert starts at 4.30 instead of the usual 6.30/7.30. Cause we ended early! Hahaha. And yup thank you everyone who has came and support SP Symphonic Band IBM concert! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did :D

 I did it :)

Well IBM XXX was truly an enjoyable concert. It was a blast, I love the songs I played. But one song that has a special place in my heart was Howl Moving Castle, especially the Merry-do-round of life part. I love it, it's a song that tells me, reminds me, teaches me so much about life. At the same time, it's my favourite song too :) Well yep.

It's quite funny after the concert, RIGHT after the concert, I'm feeling very empty and sad. And... Lonely. As if something has left me. As I hit the last note of Up, it felt weird. Like this sense of emptiness, that something just left me and I'm there feeling alone. Not that I'm alone cause no one was with me (the band room was crazy! Haha) but just that tinge of loneliness.

I guess the concert series itself, "I Believe in Music" is something so meaningful, and attached for me. I believe in music, we all do and I believe we all should. Music is a universal language we can all connect to without even learning it. Some say it's food, some say it's love. But to me, music is definitely one. So if I ask you this question, do you believe in music, and why? What would your answer be?

Mine's simple. I believe in music for the things that it lets me do. For the things that it can do. For the things that it does to me. It lets me say what the mouth can't speak yet the heart wish to express. It can make me happy, make me sad, make me free and make me mad. It allows me to do what I can't do in real life. It allows me to be free, and show the world who I am and who I want to be.

And at the same time music is also... Something. He's a my best friend when I'm sad and no one is around. He's the only non-speaking thing that can cheer me up when I'm down. He's someone I can talk to, and though he doesn't have a mouth to talk to me, he whispers and gently caresses my heart directly. He's a non living non physical thing that I truly am proud to have as a friend.

And for all of the above reasons,

I believe in music

Race and concert. Lets go!

Hello people, time check 11:32 PM and I still have lots of things left to do! Anyway I'm very excited for tomorrow cause firstly, I have Jurong Lake Run in the morning and then I'm rushing back to school for... I Believe in Music concert with SPSB! Whew! Gonna be an awesome Sunday. I hope the adrenaline rush from the run will make me play better hahaha.

Anyway yup just a short update as of now I guess. Will fill you up tomorrow! About the run and the concert (Y) I'm seriously excited now!

To those running for Jurong Lake Run, all the best!

And to my dearest SPSB members:

Lets rock SPCC with our movie-licious songs! :D

Good night!

Soleil D'aout

 For today the sunset taught me something

That no matter how tough your day must have been

We can always have something to smile to

At the end of the day.

Whew, I'm finally here to blog after such a long hectic week. Not really long, a week is still a week, but the things that happened make it seems long I guess. Anyway on Tue my dad's friend came to Singapore to do settle some issues. It was really kinda hectic with things cropping out on Wednesday but at the end of the three days, everything went smooth and sweet. So yup.

The seemingly hectic three days seem like a long one. But at the same time it feels like as if I've learnt a lot as well. I've learnt that well, when things go wrong, they happened for a reason. Just like what I said before, if they don't happen for a reason then they wouldn't have happened at all. So yup when things go wrong don't blame it and don't panic like as if the world is going to end.

Instead, I decided to keep calm, stop, think of the things I need to do and how to solve everything slowly and smoothly. Instead of being stressed and worried for the whole day, or simply just turn into some crazy ass maniac that blame everything. Nahh, relax. Keep calm, and just think straight. Do what you're supposed to do, what you planned to do, and life will just give you the path you've always wished for.

And talking about plan - Sometimes in life we just need to make that one decision. Just make that decision and there's no room for buts, what ifs, and so on. Sometimes we just need to make that one decision and somehow life seems more "directional" for us. It is all the buts factors that make us, drag us into the situations and so on. Just do it kind of thing.

Yeah I guess to sum it all, these are the things.

I've had a great sectional and section dinner today. IBM is in one more day and I just can't wait. It surely feels good to be back on stage, performing with other fellow musicians, sharing music to my fellow audience. Sunday is gonna be an awesome day :)

Alright that's all for now. See you again!

Dear 183

Dear 183

Yup as the title says, today is day 183 of the year. Another 183 days to go. So theoretically today is the mid-point of 2012. It's the last day of the first half of 2012 you can say. And tomorrow shall be the first day of the second half of 2012. Time flies! It's a good and bad thing no? Good cause I can't wait for some events which are happening soon hehe. And bad cause it's too fast?

Well I've already learnt about time. Accepted the fact about time. That well all we can do is to just let it flow. Time will always flow no matter what. I guess till we die, then it will stop I suppose. But yep, time will always flow. And we flow with it like a small boat flowing on a river. We can't make the river flow faster. What we do can make us move faster, or slower.

And so are the things that we will face and we meet during our journey on that river as well. Sometimes we passed by a sceneric part of the river and we admire it, and we feel like the journey feels slower. Then we face rough parts where rocks and rapids appear. We feel they never end but at the end, we pull through it. Then comes the part where it's just emptiness. And we feel that it's so mundane.

Pretty much like that.

Anyho yes first half of the year gone like that. Not just "like that" of course, many things have happened. But whatever happened, happened and whatever will happen, will happen. Now let's make the second half of the year be better than the first half! :) And I know it's gonna get better hehe. As Paramore's Cold World says "It's not the way you plan it, it's how you make it happen!"

July is here now, saying hello. June went by like that and well now we say goodbye. On the first day of June I told myself that this month is gonna be fun and gonna went by like a breeze. Well I guess it was! So many things happened during the weekends, in fact I'm packed. So that's one factor I suppose. July's weekend is going to be packed too. And I love it!

So many things are happening in July - Things I've been waiting for.

The good news is that I finally get to start on some labwork tomorrow. Going to do some H&E staining! So yes I finally get to bring my labcoat tomorrow since I will need them. Gosh, 11 weeks of waiting and it's finally here. Finally! Can't wait to try on it and get some nice images hopefully. At least I get to write something now instead of just words and so on.

It's 12:34 AM now. I don't know why but I have a tendency to just sleep late on Sundays. Just a want from me to sleep later. Somehow somewhat. I enjoy the night. It's a time where my mind can pour endlessly onto my blog or on my diary. Or simply run wild in my head (maybe that's why I can't sleep). But it's been a syndrome for me. To sleep late on Sundays.

Week 12 is in front of us now. 11 weeks gone 17 more to go? Or oh, 24 more to go? I don't know which is the truth haha. Well well.

Okay I'm off for now. Gonna pack my stuff and also prepare for the coming day. I'll see you soon. Here's to an awesome and fabulous week 12 for all of us :) Good night.