ICEP USA 08 participants/friends gather!

Get up at 9.30am today to start preparing for the little get-together on Chinese New Year among those who participated in ICEP USA 08. Kuan Liang and Si Yong came over too :) Jee Wang also came, the odd one out, i knew him through ICEP Inbound.

As usual, my parents would come and 'nag' me to wake up. My mum stated that the time was already 10.30am, when its only at 9.30am, good eh? Over an hour in estimation...

Mum fried some chicken wings, meatballs, springroll, chicken curry (cook the night before), beehoon and spaghetti. Mum seriously think we can finish all of that..........



Jee Wang was the first who came, at 12pm +. Was watching some Japanese Drama on the preview channel and went down to 'receive' him. As he came the first, he was quite scared i feel. Considering that nobody he knows are together with him. Kinda enquire about when the others are coming, so there we are as couch potatoes and watching TV waiting for the rest to turn up. The wait was around 2hrs, when Jun Hong send word that he's coming but he's meeting Xin Ran first.

Thought Xin Ran not coming as she is busy preparing the gathering of her 54th Cadet Officer Course intake friends, and was afraid she couldn't make it. She came, as her gathering start not so 'early' (6pm infact).

Then came the hilarious part, while watching TV wif Jee Wang. Came the sounds of heels and somebody calling out "Adrian, Adrian, Adrian". Went out to the door, and saw the three of them coming, Xin Ran/Jun Hong/Alan. It seems they did that cuz they weren't sure where is my unit...

Kuan Liang and Si Yong came after, argh! Didn't know how to connect them wif my ICEP peeps, dratz, they were alone for the entire thing! Gosh, i should take this down to prevent similar things from happening...

Anyway, Alan was busy preparing for his Microbiology competition. So there he was, revising from the notes he bought together with him and talking to us at the same time. Multi-tasking talent :)

Said this joke to Jun Hong about the conversation between Xin Ran and Alan. Apparently, the topics they talk about were totally 'alien' to us. Talk about school for one moment, then about studies, then about current happenings. They seem to switch topics at a VERY ASTOUNDING RATE...

Whereas on the other hand, Jun Hong Jee Wang and I were busy playing cards. Unfortunately, Jee Wang have to go early cuz of the house visit to his teacher's house around kembengan. No cards to play = No gambling time...

Jun Jie and Kai Lin came later, the delay was (according to JJ), a fault of Kai Lin's. As always, the two start beckering and telling about their side of the story as soon as they saw us, at the front of the door...

After some refreshments and 'light' lunch, Jun Hong are the others are bored about the movie being broadcasted on the preview channel. And suggested that i put on some Action-packed ones, in this case: Stealth

The girls, who did not show any interest in Action moives, prefered to play handphone games on both Kai Lin's own Iphone and Jun Hong Omnia sumthing handphone.

Meanwhile, the very hardworking Alan was mugging away at his Microbiology notes. After some time, he juz couldn't take it and doze away. Here are his 'napping' photos :) ->



Jun Jie smirking away....

He really needed some rest...


The girls left earlier; Xin Ran needed to go to her gathering, Kai Lin need to go for (or so i heard) tennis lessons...

Shortly after leaving, Kai Lin kinda POPPED at the window and said that she have forgotten to bring her wallet down wif her, gosh... On our earlier conversation, she have even said that she had nearly forgotten to bring her bag with her when she's leaving school as she was expressing concern on "Where did her bag go too?"

ITS IN MY ROOM LAH KAI LAN!

But before the girls are off, took a picture together. The photo kinda lacks someone, Shankar...

Dun worry bro, no hard feelings' here over on my side for not turning up. U have ur own schedule, maybe next time eh? But u be a botak(NSmen) when u get down to my house for CNY next year :)

Here's the photo->

From L-R: Kai Lin (Kai Lan), Xin Ran, Alan, Jun Jie (JJ), Jun Hong (Ben), Me (Adrian)


After the movie, accompained Alan, JJ and Jun Hong to their way to Bedok MRT. Had a talk about NCC, school life all the way to the interchange. On a random note, Alan's one liner must be "How much is the demand?" In response to some topic we talked about regarding school. LOL

Saw them off at Bedok MRT station...

Hopefully, for the next year, i can have the same thing again. Inviting them to my house again, on CNY.

TILL NEXT TIME BUDDIES!!!





Signing Off!!

Joint Admission Excersise 2009 - Posting of schools

Woot!

Being 'disturbed' to wake up in the morning ain't something i ought to receive, especially when my sleep time is already soooo little. But that's wat happen, by my over-enthu parents who wanna know which school i'm going. They called me up, switched on the computer and ask me to check my mail.

All i did was to read the SMS that was send to my Hp and i know which school i'm posted too: Yishun Junior College, 34A.

The SMS read: MOE: ADRIAN TAN QING NIAN, you are posted to YISHUN JUNIOR, ARTS (34A) under 2009 JAE. Pl report to JC/MI on 2 Feb 09 at 7.30am.

Cool eh?

But the next bit ain't cool at all, read again. I NID TO REPORT AT 7.30AM! Gosh! So early one arh? Why cannot school starts at 7.45am? I stay in bedok u knw? I took around an hour to get to Yishun by 854 during the afternoon, so by estimation, i should wake up at 4.45am every morning, get down to Bedok Interchange by 5.30am to catch the first bus, and reach there by 6.30am or so. Take a walk of 15mins to get there, and i should arrive school exactly 7am everyday. But due to the fact that the bus i;m taking is in the morning, maybe the travelling time will be shorten by around half, hopefully. Will experiment wif it come Monday...

Have lunch after that little 'surprise', and went out to advance recce the school i'm going for the next two years. Took SMRT bus service 854 down to yishun to check it out. The journey would be boring if i didn't brought along my earphones to enjoy music quietly. While my dad went into a sleeping trance juz next to me.

Arrived at Khatib MRT station to find that we kinda under-shot by one/two bus stops, ask around, and begin a walking journey to the school. Passed wat i tink is Khatib Camp, saw this really huge FH 2000 park inside the Camp's garage. Cool...

Wats even better is that the school is in cloxe proximity to the camp, so on maybe lucky occasion. I could get to see the guns being driven out for some field excersise. Also, the whole place is briming wif Trainee tankees learning to drive wat i tink is the BRONCO or other Armoured Carrier employed by out SAF.

Reached school, and it wasn't like wat they said in the forums. The school's quite new on the contary, with the track still reeking of new rubber (synthetic) material. School building also looks freshly coated with paint, juz like wif any other school undergoing PRIME. Saw the classes too, and it looks fine as with any other school too :)

While we were there, we got down to the school's General Office, but at the same time, passed by the JAE 2009 register list. There it was, Adrian Tan Qing Nian on the top few rows of the list not becuz of my grades, but becuz of my name. The Class i was assigned to is Class Tutorial Group (CTG) 127, couldn't bother to see who's in my class. Instead, i marveled at the number of students enrolled into the school. CLOSE TO 700! 689 or so to be precise.

Talk wif the school admin about some basic enquiry such as whether or not the parent should be present for the registering, which the admin said: "You not primary school right? Can do things urself already right? Ah, why nid parent huh?". She then continued wif her 'tips and advices' such as switching my radio channel to listen to BBC everyday to build up the neccessary knowledge for GP.

Then came a boy seeking for Appeal... WAO, so fast one arh? I kinda listen further and realised he been put into NYP or NP instead. Now nid to waste time for appealing......

Went home after that, and took 854 infront of the block i used to lived before. Only then i realised that YJC is directly behind of it. Come to tink of it, 10 years ago, I once lived there, 10 years later, I'M BACK!

So yeah, muz have some sort of affinity with YJC or to the area of Yishun. Hopefully, this 'affinity' could help me with my studies, like some Feng Shui i feel.....



Signing Off!!

Morning

Woke up at an insane time of 7am this morning just to go grocery shopping with my mum...

Kinda procrastinate the entire affair when i woke up initially, wash up as slowly as i could. Slack in the kitchen while my mum was 'waiting' (reading novels again), then dad came in for coffee making, and i started a conversation with him instantly :)

Talk for like 30mins + on his insomnia, back ache and random stuff.

Then mum came in and was like: "U doing wat!? I'm waiting for you, can be faster anot? We are wasting time here. AI YO, adrian, can be faster anot? Arh yo!"

This is consider normal for me :) Much better than the 'military' styled enquries my father would give...

Make my (our) way down to bedok hawker centre after a very nice bus ride, had porridge, and witnessed a 'under-pressure' stall runner.

Poor guy, was taking orders left-right-up-down-center. Much to the angst of him, everyone juz keep asking him how long will their orders take. Including some very nosey folks who keep commenting on how the porridge should be cooked, he retaliated with "U order liao, better dun find reason here and there hor!"

Woah, good one!

But was still sorry for him cuz he faced 'questioning' by old folks, PRCs, impatient customers, people who dun want self service, and people who want 'express' service. And also, cuz they are only two people on work during that time.

Went to NTUC after that to get all the stuff needed, and i think my mother is a very diehard-hardcore NTUC fanatic. Seem to be in full praises of it when the stuff they are selling are so expensive! Based on my interpretation, its becuz NTUC provides 'better' packaging than its counter-part, Sheng Siong, which allow it to command higher prices.

I feel this is a piece of crap...

There's still another reason though, but could not comment further on it, very high chances of accusation of slandering...

My mum then went to Sheng Siong cuz she need to buy thing that wasn't available in NTUC, spend like 30mins sitting down, waiting for her to come. Meanwhile, i'm busy squashing ants, hornets, flies, mosquitos who came to pay a visit to me during CNY.

And yes, i knw u can't wait for this post to end cuz its damn wordy (i knw!), but be patience:

Went home after that, but not before buying lunch for dad.

Arrived home to see Nathan greeting us :) cute little rugrat...

As i'm already in my sleep-deprieved state, took a pain killer (panadol) pill and went to sleep at 12pm and woke up at 5pm. Good eh? Sleeping for like 4-5 hour. And here i am, blogging away.

On a random note, JAE 09 posting of result would be released tomorrow. Need all the luck that lady fortune should give me, cai shend also inlcuded. Btw, i'm still amazed dat the reporting to schools/insituition on 2nd Feb 09 is at 7.30am.

Gosh!

CNY 09

Visited Kuan Liang's house yesterday, and ofcourse my first time visiting a friend's house :)

Anyway, spend a great time there. Played some game than kinda resembles pool (forgot the name liao), but is played on a wooden block with counters as pool balls and a slightly-bigger-than-the-counters kinda thing. But it still flat and round u see.

The Sec 5s that i know of were there, Pamela, Mandy, Si Yong, Cheryl. Guo Cheng and Pei Wen wasn't there, which kinda spoils the whole thing, as this 6 (or 7, i dun rmb another one), are the group that always get together in school.

Guo Cheng was grounded (HAHAHAHAHA), and Pei Wen couldn't make it. Nevermind, see them next year bah...

Watch the movie: Enchanted at his house. There was handshake, slight vibrations and colour distortion during the duration of the movie. U knw wat this means right?

Had breakfast+lunch at his house while watching the movie, i'm not cheap btw, i kinda woke up at 12pm way ahead of the time i'm suppose (10am) to wake up to. So yeah, breakfast+lunch together.

Anyway, luv the great tasting vegetarian beehoon and curry (KL whole family is vegetarian...), like the ones that u buy from the foodcourt or hawker centres. As for subsituition for chicken meat in the curry, i (we) was introduced to this taste-a-like-chicken piece of make-up-of-flour kinda thing.

And for being a vegetarian sub for chicken, it really taste like the exact thing! But its still amazing to see that KL is a vegetarian since young.

I wouldn't think that i would last that long, considering i eat meat more than i consume veges...

After that, bid them goodbye but not before sending them off as they went to visit Jody's(another Sec 5) House down at Frankel Ave...

Reunion Dinner

Second post today, this time is about the dinner i had not-so-long-ago. In fact, juz 30 minutes earlier.

Had a much-needed serving of beef, chicken and pork for my family's pre-Chinese New Year dinner. Unlike previous years, this year's dinner was in a barbeque style. So u juz barbeque wateva is put infront of u.

Other than that, the barbequed meats was also wrapped up wif fresh lettuce. In a way of eating that kinda resembles the Koreans. However, that wasn't good enough.

The whole meal was topped up with drinks such as Tiger's and Sapporo's Lager Beer. Like the taste of both beer, as they resemble very much alike in their aftertaste and refreshness. But, still love tiger better as it is one of our 'Homebrands' and ofcourse a reasonable pricetag for such great tasting beer.

One bottle of Tiger costs around $4.80 -$5+ wheareas a Sapporo of equilivent volume costs around $6.45-$7+ depends on the place u bought it. However, the price of Sapporo can be justified as it is an export beer from Japan.

The next i'm gonna try is Asahi, can't seem to find that on my last trip to the Supermarket. Maybe i didn't look hard enough...........................................................................................................................................................................................

On another note, judging from the ridiculous amount of meat i have eaten over the duration of the dinner. It seems dangerous to my health. My father randomly screwed me saying that: "With that amount of meat u eaten, u sure to burst ur blood vessel when u are older." Thanks dad! But u dun nid to be so harsh with ur words :)

Yup, must really try and control my intake of meat daily. Maybe thats one of the reason why i got fat deposits around my heart as mentioned earlier in my posts.

But i did counter the intake of meat wif an equlivent amount of veges consumed during the dinner. Anyway, after the holidays have ended this monday, BACK TO TRAINING!!!!!!!!!




Signing Off!!!

Running

Arh crap! Gotten 15 minutes for completing a 2.4m route.

Overshot by 4 minutes since my last NAPFA test, gotta really train hard this days. If not, my dreams of becoming an Officer may not turn into reality.

By the way, gotten some answers regarding the sensation i felt when it comes to running. You see, when i run everytime. I will always experience this kind of 'burning' sensation in my heart, not only that, my windpipe will feel like it is tightening itself making every breath i make feeling like its not gonna be absorb into my body.

Gotten some answers on this by friend, it seems like there's is a high concentration of fat deposits around my heart area. Which is why whenver i run, the heart will try to process/breakdown the fats around my heart resulting in an exothermic reaction which i felt always.

Look on google on this matter, and the term for this condition is know as: Pericardial Fat. Which is literally fat deposits around my heart. According to some research articles, it seems like this is even worse than having fat deposits around ur tummy/legs/arms and this condition can lead to a Heart Attack.

Its lucky that my family members do not have a history of Heart Attacks, whether this condition is what i'm having now is still not confirmed. But one things for sure is that 'its better to be safe than sorry'. Therefore, i would state the condition out next time i visit the doctor, but not before i begin to condition myself thoroughly first.

However, i have list out a few ways to counter this problem that i have:
1)When running, take long deep breaths. This is to assume a correct running form.
2)Always try to calm the mind down, cuz my mind's always full of thoughts. This is to eliminate anxiety.
3)Practice, practice and practice. This is to condition my heart towards running, and also to eliminate(burn) fats deposited around my heart.

So as an answer to Tip 3, i would therefore increase my running frequency to 4 times weekly. An increase of 3 times per week previously.

Hope all goes well.



Signing Off!

Last minute...

Didn't sleep well(again) last night. Not last night in fact, it was this morning i'm refering to. Sleep at around 5 or 6am, at got up at around 1.30pm+

And kinda missed the time my mother set for us to go for some last minute grocery shopping...

In the end, she did all by herself, BOLEH!!! Nice work mum!

But that isn't the end of the story, seems to me that she kinda 'forget' to buy somethings and dispatch my father and I late in the afternoon to get it done. Clever eh?

By the time we arrived at Sheng Siong, it was all people-people-people and PEOPLE. The scene was nice, considering that it embodies the spirit of Chinese New Year. Looking everywhere, there was people shoving each other around(i got it too). Being Kiasu for last minute freshest grabs, and some out-of-place looking people(nc) looking for some good bargains together.

Compere this scene with that of the National Trade Union Congress groceries store, and all that NTUC can offer is juz some small little birds in its premises. Not that i'm evil, but in my Point-Of-View I'm sure many who do grcoery shopping will agree. Is that the price of neccessity between the two supermarkets differ greatly.

For example, a packet of veges will cost u around $1.20-$1.50 in NTUC. But in Sheng Siong, it cost only $0.90!!!! Amazing eh?

And do not get fooled by people who says Sheng Siong's goods are lousy/downgraded/not-as-fresh. Sheng Siong's stuff is way fresher den NTUCs', considering the stock turnover is higher than the latter's. Japanese pumpkins sold at Sheng Siong gurantee+chopped will get sold in less than a day, whereas a different thing can be said in NTUC :)

So, wat i say is up to u to believe. But if u still consider Sheng Siong is a lousy-stuff supermarket, then there's nothing i can say....

Back again, i really appreciate my mother and father for organising the whole get-together thing. Though i argue with my mother on a regular basis, but there's always sometime where i'm grateful to her.......... Guess this always happens in every family, hahahahahahahahahaha




Signing Off!

Chinese New Year 2009

Oh, like finally able to get some rest and blog after the tiring cleaning-up for Chinese New Year preparation.

Not that i'm whining, but it is quite amazing to see that a three-room flat which i'm staying in can accumulate so much dirt in one year. Yes, one year, did the same thing too last year...

However, cleaning up my house does seems to instill a sense of satisfaction in me (maybe U). Especially the kitchen, can't imagine that the cabinet where all the pots and pans are kept can be filled wif a thick-layer of dust. And here i am, cooking some simple fare for myself without doing some prior cleaning on the kitchen ware.

All the bacteria that i have consumed.....

Chinese New Year this year is also different from previous year, though the samething remains that my family celebrate without any relatives. But there's a new addition in my family since last april, my infant brother: Nathaniel Alexis Tan Qing Yu.

And here's his picture->

Cute eh?

By the way, he is not any christian or catholic. Its juz he and i is from the same mixed heritage, we kinda have English name becuz of that :)

And no, my family dun believe in having the same Alphabetical order for our english names, the rule only applies for our Chinese names; Nat is Qing Yu, whereas i'm Qing Nian.

Nathan in Hebrew(i tink so?) means the gift of god, and the +iel added is becuz its sounds alot like some accent of the language my mother speaks. Same goes for Alexis too, and that's his middle name....

Coming back, other than an extra family member, i'll be inviting some friends over to my house who have went with me to the International cadet Exchange Program to The United States during June 2008 and some classmates of my alma mater. They are not from my class, but are people who are really good frens wif in school for four years.

Not that i sound desperate in inviting people to my house, but i really hope that they could come :) Its been sometime since i last met them, hope to get together again...

Other than that, i do hope of getting into YJC and do well for this year. Let see if i can have this kind of celebrations next year.....

Signing Off!

JAE 2009

After much pondering/thoughts/considering for the options of tertiary/pre-u courses after my secondary school education, the finalised list is done and submitted to MOE. Here the 12 options:

1) Jurong Junior College, Arts
2) Meridian Junior College, Arts
3) Tampines Junior College, Arts
4) Pioneer Junior College, Arts
5) Yishun Junior College, Arts
6) Innova Junior College, Arts
7) Nanotechnology and Material Science, NYP
8) Aeronautical And Aerospace Technology, NYP
9) Aerospace Engineering, TP
10) Aeronautical Engineering, SP
11) Aerospace Technology, NP
12) Nil

And the screenshot i took:

And by the way, i'm not mad considering that my first two choices are at the extreme ends of singapore. Its juz slotted in to fill in the options available.

Since i have 9 options filled in, i be happy that i be going into Yishun Junior College. For once, there's a flexible subject combination in place there. Which means i have total freedom of choosing wat i want to offer for A levels :)

Also, i considered the close proximity of YJC to HQ NCC. Which means i'm able to get down as a Cadet Officer for HQ related activities fairly easy, only one bus from YJC to Yishun Interchange and two MRT stops to Yeo Chu Kang MRT station. YEAH!

But on another note, distance a major factor for me. Since i'm living in the east, i be waking up at the wee hours of the morning to get to school everyday. Wonder how this will take a toll on my health....

So the wait till 30th January 2009 shall begin! I do hope that YJC admits me, then another chapter of my life shall begin~




Signing Off!!

Disappointment...

The results are out, and damn! I should have did better than this, but the time has come, and it has been decided that i'm not well suited for studies in a mainstream JC. So plan B kicks in. Be going into Millennia Institute instead, the 3-yr course that leads to the A levels.

Here is the breakdown of my results:

Eng-> B3

Maths-> B4

Science (Physics/Chemistry) -> A1

Humanities (History/Social Studies) -> A2

Mother Tongue -> B3

POA -> D7

Design and Technology -> E8

Actual Score: L1R4 = 13 points (YAY! My christmas wish is fufilled!)

L1R5 = 20 points (BOO! My christmas wish is done for!)

Ideal Score: L1R4 <14>

L1R5 <15>

Summary: I did better than my prelims, and my actual score wasn't dat far from my dream score. :)

Anyway, didn't expected myself to score a distinction for Humanities, considering that i didn't/half-did one SEQ. Wats even ironic is that the chapters that came out and i chosed for humanities wasn't the one i was studying, i answered using Generalised information from chapters that i know of.

Disappointing was my score in Mother Tongue, was expecting/praying/working hard to acheive A1, but i'm treated wif a B3 instead. Muz be the essays that i messed up...

Even worse is my score in D and T and POA, if not for the both of them. I would have gotten my idea score for L1R5 and got into a mainstream JC!!!!!!!!!!!

Like they say, the past is the past, concentrate on the future. I'm glad to say i have did that cuz i'm free to go for any poly, save for my dreams of admission into a JC. If time could turn bak to the days of my Sec 2 days, i would grabbed the chance of triple science, since i showed some flair for Bio during Sec 1/2 General Science exams.

A disappointment i have been when i was in those days, wasting my time doing nothing useful. But i'm glad i finally step out from that state, though it could be better if it was earlier. For now, i could ask nothing more than my dreams for serving in the army can be kept alive.

The future still seems bleak to me, for not many have gotten fantastical grades in MI. If for that matter, chances of serving as a regular and getting a scholarship from the SAF is slim. Hope that something or someone can light up my path ahead, for i wish to get none of the experience i've gone through during my secondary school days.

After 4 years, Class of wat started as 1EA of 2005 is now disbanded, each of us pursueing our dreams and aspirations on our own. But one thing for sure, the bond we had will last through our memories. For me, i hope to see u guys later in our lives or when we step into the working world. Who knows? The future lies uncertainties that remains a mystery for all...

4EA Class of 2008...

Signing Off!!!!!

The day is here....

Not doomsday lah!

However, is something that is considered important among my singaporean teenagers. The General Cambridge Examination Ordinary Level Results.

Its kinda weird at how something that originated in the United Kingdom seem to be one of the most popular certifications in the world, other than the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.

Like many people who have juz say GOODBYE to their secondary schools last year, they and i are know racking our heads, figuring out wat the mistakes we done in each paper and last but not least, wondering if they acheived the required marks for their dream instituition.

Whether issit the Polytechnics or Junior Colleges, or dreams are the same: To acheive wat we had set out, and to get it, reaching closer to our goals in life. <- I know tis sounds exaggerating, but i improve abit on the language part to generalize wat we are thinking.

Anyway, contary to my classmates choice of Higher-Learning instituitions, my dream is to get myself into a Junior College, and study in the arts stream. Why arts? Cuz my sciences are not that good (wif the exception of Physics :) ) and i wanna study Social/Political Science, History or Economics when i DO get into a university.

But ofcourse, like everything else, there's a Plan B. Which includes my wish of being admitted into any of the five polytechnics Aerospace Technology studies. Heck, its still better for me to take up Plan A.

Wonder if i do get to sleep tonight, wats installed for me tomorrow? Will i get to acheived wat i set out to do? Its so confusing........ I've even dreamt about scoring some marks in L1R5 which is out of my reach, how can i ever bring myself to school? Wat if i didnt get wat i wanted? Wats my life gonna be? The one i planned, or the one i make up as i go? Yah, this is wat being a Singaporean is like.

Hell......................................................................................... It really seems like doomsday to me..........