I'm Empty.

If there's one song I seem to hear all the time on Hitz FM these days, it's this.

Empty - The Click Five


It just strikes a chord with something deep inside me, and I keep putting it on repeat, maybe because I once felt so empty inside. But somehow, I feel stronger now, like I have something deep inside me that makes me less hollow, and more fulfilled.

Guess they were right, what that doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. And I definitely am.

Thanks for the memories.

Hope that you guys enjoy this song as much as I do!

***

And on an unrelated note, I'm coming up with a series of posts on love and relationships which will be debuting on this Friday. I'll be a weekly thing, and dear readers, you can expect a new one every Friday.

I really feel that with what I know now, I would have been so much more successful with relationships back in secondary school, and I hope that whatever I share would be able to help you readers, whatever stage you may be at in life.

So hope you'll enjoy the very first installment of "What Women Want" this Friday!

What do women really want?

Yeah, it's all about what women really want, so stay tuned!

Explaining my absence.

Yes readers, I know I have suddenly disappeared from the blogosphere for quite some time now, since Monday, because of my longer working hours.

It's really been a long week and this is how I spent it:


1. Working (Duh!)

The desk where I work.

Yeah, I'm an administration assistant at Summerhill Realty so that means that I have to:

• Be in the office early to get the office sorted out before all the real estate negotiators (agents), start coming in.
  
• Yes, I get to use the computer, but not so much to blog, but for databasing. I'm made to go through the property listings that the negotiators pass to me and key the data into the Summerhill computer database. This is really, REALLY time consuming. The first few days, the load was really, REALLY great. I literally had to sort through a MOUNTAIN of forms and key them in, one by one into the system. AND WHEN YOU KEY IN THE DATA YOU HAVE TO DO IT IN CAPS, CAUSE THE SYSTEM CAN ONLY UNDERSTAND CAPS, AND NOTHING ELSE BUT CAPS. Thank God that I got through that gigantic stack already and I have less data entry to do these days.
  
• Being an office administration assistant also means that I am in charge of the filing of all the petty documents around the office. EVERYTHING is filed in this office, ranging from advertisement invoices to incoming faxes. Yes, we also have to file up the Dell computer advertisements that come in through the fax! But the worst was still the Star Advertisement invoices. I had to go through a stack of invoices about half as high as your average PC casing, cross check with the different agent's files to see if they have been charged accordingly, AND then file ALL THOSE INVOICES IN DESCENDING ORDER! If you know me, you would know that I hate paperwork and was never EVER able to file my homework up when I was back in school. All my papers were always missing because I was too lazy to file them up. Guess this is paperwork karma.
• Be the de facto telephone receptionist. Yes, I have to go "Good morning/afternoon, Summerhill Realty..." in my saccharine sweet voice every time someone calls. Yes, its really SO sweet that one lady commented "wah, your voice very ho thia!" (well that means 'nice sounding' in Hokkien) and made me go all "kam siah, kam siah" ( thank you in Hokkien)!
• Type and print stuff. Yeah, I'm the guy that everyone goes to when they want a letter or some forms printed. I get to play around with the photocopier a lot too. Well, on the bright side, I guess I got better with Excel and Word... or maybe not.
• Also double up as tech support. I'm the youngest guy there so (the older folks) approach me with tech support issues from time to time. I'll gladly teach anyone who wants to sort their contacts on Gmail or how to use their new laptop anytime. (: Just glad that I can help.
• LISTEN TO LIGHT FM. Yes, the radio is RIGHT BEHIND ME, so I really can't help but listen to James Blunt crooning "I'll carry you home" for the 213,231,453th time! That pretty much explains why I blast Hitz FM on high whenever I have the chance to in my Kelisa.
  

Told ya, Soph. (:

Yeah that's pretty much everything I do as an administration assistant. But the job's not too bad, cause I get to learn all about real estate, and as Donald Trump says, that's where the money is. So I guess the opportunity to learn all about tenancy agreements and S&P's can't be a bad thing ya?


2. Trying to write about the Raja Petra sedition case.

RPK takes the sedition case on!

Yes, I was trying to blog about that ALL week, and I have even done extensive (well, at least I think it is) research on Malaysia's sedition laws so that I can write a thorough critique of the whole case.... but I guess that it's been a little too long since my last argumentative essay! So there goes the critique... But oh well, I now know what interalia and mens rea mean now! (: I'll make a good law student lar, SMU! Can ya please please offer me law?

Anyway, back to the Raja Petra sedition case, Raja Petra (editor of www.malaysia-today.net) is being investigated under our sedition act for an article he wrote on his blog, "Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell". Well, read about it here.

Now, let us take a quick look at Malaysia's sedition act so that we can discuss it lah.

Under section 3(1), those acts defined as having a seditious tendency are acts with a tendency:

(a) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or against any Government;

(b) to excite the subjects of the Ruler or the inhabitants of any territory governed by any government to attempt to procure in the territory of the Ruler or governed by the Government, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established;

(c) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Malaysia or in any State;

(d) to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the subjects of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or of the Ruler of any State or amongst the inhabitants of Malaysia or of any State;

(e) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Malaysia; or

(f) to question any matter, right, status, position, privilege, sovereignty or prerogative established or protected by the provisions of part III of the Federal constitution or Article 152, 153 or 181 of the Federal Constitution.

It really pisses me off that we are still living in a society where we still cannot tolerate alternative views, that's what this whole act is about. Only support expression of opinion when it's YOUR opinion that others are expressing? That sounds real Stalinist to me, really. That must really make mother Russia proud.

Even if our dear sedition act is not the archaic dinosaur that everyone thinks it is, what pisses me off even more is that the sedition act is only used when a personality comes up with words that offend a high ranking member of our dear government, but never when those very same high ranking officials do something to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races of the population of Malaysia. It's either that its somehow enshrined in our constitution that the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia are not part of the population of Malaysia, or that something is SERIOUSLY wrong with our judiciary system.

Yes, somehow when a high ranking member of our government goes up and wields a weapon in public and incites hatred, it's okay, but when a blogger writes about bringing those responsible for a murder trial to justice, it's sedition. Our dear politicians seem to be so immune that the dear person who was fooling with a weapon in public didn't even get charged for brandishing a weapon in public. Where is the sense in all this? Guess it rocks to be a member of our very dear government.

Guess we need someone to stand up to this injustice. Go RPK!

I just hope that this case sheds light on the gaping flaws within our judiciary system. Let justice prevail!

DISCLAIMER: And let me stress once again that these are just some of my humble observations which are not in any way meant to incite hatred against any party but to just very politely point out how funnily the judiciary system always seems to side the dear government in Malaysia. So, please don't sue me for sedition, dear government.


3. Guest starring on kennysia.com
Notice anything familiar about this picture?


Anything?

Cause like Tysern put it, those stinky pajamas sure look really familiar...

... and Lim Kit Siang's body ain't as hot as that one...!

...!!!

Hey, that's us, Tysern, Ee Fei, Chongxian and I, at the Nuffnang pajama party!


Guess I can recognize those smelly pajamas from anywhere!
But why Lim Kit Siang? Oh well, I shouldn't be complaining, at least it wasn't Karpal Singh!
*Read Kenny's post here!

***

Oh well, it really has been a busy week but I hope to keep posting regularly, so you readers, hang on in there!

To all mothers out there, Hamlet's Hero wishes you a very Happy Mother's Day to you! Make sure you do something special for your mother whenever you can, she very well deserves it!

Old school.

Hamlet's hero, signing off.

Office Updates

"I'm trying to get Benjamin from Star Classifieds to settle some invoicing matters but the automated-telephone-answering-system keeps going "our tele-agents are currently busy at the moment, please hold on..." and Light FM keeps playing over the telephone."

A day in my life working at Summerhill Realty in Sunway Mas commercial center.

And that's also a good example how Light FM is just everywhere these days! Please, I get enough Light FM at home, in the car, and in the office already! Why is Light FM everywhere!? Including the telephone! Listening to one too many Lobo songs (which my dad loves to death) can indeed drive you mad, trust me.

Anyway, I digress. Now time for some updates on my (very interesting) life in point form:

1. I got accepted into Nanyang Business School, NTU.
I don't mean to brag, but I expected this coming. Guess my 5 minute interview really did turn out well. However, I'm still weighing my options. It's really unlikely right now, but I'm still praying that I suddenly receive a letter from NUS law school. I'm really not sure if I should still go down to study in Singapore if I don't get law there. Is it really worth studying something other than law there when I can probably get into HELP University College's law school without too much trouble. And yeah, further excerbating the Singapore problem is that I am yet to hear from any of the scholarships that I have applied for. ): Guess that I'll have to start thinking about how to finance my studies in Singapore, real soon. Oh well, hope that it all works out right.

2. I'm working as an admin assistant at Summerhill Realty.
Yeah, since I have been relieved of my duties as a debate coach, I'm currently working at Summerhill Realty doing office work. Siew Ho was so kind to recommend me for the job. So here I am, typing this post at Jun Wei's mom, Michelle's office in Sunway Mas commercial centre. Work here has been pretty okay and I have been preparing documents, sorting files and all sorts of office work here since I started work last Friday. I never really liked office work, but oh well, guess its a new experience right?

3. I'm missing my debaters and students so badly now!
Yeah, working in an office means that I'm sitting down sorting stuff and using the computer most of the time. I miss all the fun times we've had together la... all the crazy times in class, my extended debate discussion sessions, and just hanging out in the teacher's room with Tysern, Chongxian and Patrick. My debaters too, it was such a great time we all spent together even though it was so stressful. It just seems so weird coming to work each day and not seeing the faces that I've been seeing everyday for the past 1 and a half months or so. Miss all of you guys so much. *puts on sad face* We really must all meet up soon, and that includes all of my students too. I know I was going on about how we must all meet up and party, and we'll do that after your exams kay? My house is open to you guys, so till then, study hard kay?

4. I need to start working out again!
Debate stress and long hours of office work, is bad for ab-formation, trust me. ):
Gotta start working out hard again the way I used too. A flat tummy is not enough, gotta get those abs out somehow. I can do it! Haih, but I guess I need more motivation somehow. Any ideas anyone?

5. I'm teaching tuition!
I'm helping Rachel out with her chemistry so I've been hitting the form 4 chemistry books recently. Anyone else need help with their chemistry? Or maybe even physics? I'll love to help you guys catch up after my office hours. Hope my chemistry didn't deteriorate too much!

Guess that's it for today. Till then, take care people!

Team, you've done us proud.

The SMKDJ Wira Debate Team 2008

Daryl, Keefe, Calvin, Jayshendra, Kevin
Rachel, Zafirah, Sophia
(and Puan Koh and Puan Tan)

Letting go of something you love is the hardest thing to do. And as I have come to learn and grow with this team of mine, saying goodbye is definitely difficult.

If you have not heard already, our team gave it their very best at Kuala Selangor and we came up in 2nd place in the state finals. I know I told this team that we'll go all the way, and even though the road may have seemed to end here, they did indeed go all the way. Even though the final decision was ruled against our favour, the way they spoke so confidently and eloquently made me feel so proud. If they were lousy up there, if they did not speak and argue the way that they were taught to, I would have failed my duty as a coach, but at the finals, they were up there on the stage, being the debaters that I knew that they could be. What more can a humble coach ask for?

We've come a really long way in our one and a half months together. Guess time really does fly when you're having fun, or as Keefe puts it, it all passed by in a blink of an eye. *BLINKS*

We stressed over debate definitions....

We stayed up late into the night doing our speeches....

We fought over petty issues.

We raised our voices at each other....

....but we also....

Encouraged each other on....

Drilled points into each other's heads....

Camwhored together!

But the most important thing was that through thick or thin, we stayed together. I said it once before and I'll say it again - great friendships were forged in the fires of the Bilik Tayangan, that has been true each passing year, and this year was no exception.

In the quarantine room!

I'm just so proud that we gave this our very best shot, working hard on our cases till the very end, and that we truly have no room for regrets.

It was a true honour to coach this wonderfully diverse team and I just hope that you guys realize that you have so much potential within each and every one of you. In our one and a half months together, we have all grown so much as a team. We not only learned about gauges and definition debates, but we also learnt the more important lesson - how to work together as a team.

Even I was just the coach for this debate, the journey sure wasn't easy. It was many late nights helping the debaters with their speeches, staying up till the wee hours of the morning editing the scripts they submitted, and even ending up dreaming about various stands in bed. Yes, I quite literally had debate nightmares. Yes, quite a number of times I woke up in the morning to some debate dream thinking that we got our stands and points all wrong!

Sophia and Keefe going through their speeches just before the debate.

But we pulled through, debate after debate all the people who showed their support, John, Andrew, Marc my friends and students really made me remember what debate was all about - supporting each other as we grew together as speakers and friends.

And even though my standards were so high, in the end, I am proud to say that my debaters finally put it all together and put a stellar showing in the state level Wira debate championships. The amazing thing is that they're not even in form 5 yet, and they're already performing so well, who knows what they can achieve next year?

Keep working hard team! Keep giving it your best and you will reap the fruits of your labour soon! I'm so proud of every single one of you in light of how much all of you have grown as debaters, but I'm even more proud of the fact that I can call each and every one of you my dear, dear friends.

(:


Love all of you guys so much!

Our journey.

We were so close, but what a journey we had.

If you have not heard already, our team gave it their very best at Kuala Selangor and we came up in 2nd place in the state finals.

I'll come up with a post soon, but the debaters have already wrote so poignantly about our journey I recommend that you read these accounts first:

Sophia
Daryl
Zafirah
Calvin
Rachel

We gave it our best and we have no room for regrets. I'm so proud of you, team!

The full post will come soon, take care team!

Make DJ proud, team!

The internet connectivity in my area has been ridiculously mercurial these last couple of days - one moment it's on, and the other it stops working for hours and hours on end. But then again I digress.

Here we are, and as I am typing this post, the debaters are rushing to pack their bags and preparing for bed, getting ready for the big debate battle that we have on our hands tomorrow. Tomorrow the team I'm coaching, the debaters from SMK Damansara Jaya are proudly representing Petaling Utara in the state level of the Wira Debate in Kuala Selangor.

We'll be facing the champions of the Klang district tomorrow afternoon and if we make it through, we'll be just two debates away from clinching the title of state champion. We'll be then staying the night at Kuala Selangor, in an apartment that Pn. Koh has taken the liberty to book for our use so that we'll be fresh and ready for our two more debates the next morning. We've prepared really hard and we're all praying really hard that SMK Damansara Jaya would be able to represent Selangor this year int he Wira Debate.

Selangor, if we do, we will not let you down. DJ-ians go all the way in everything that we do, and that's exactly the spirit we're going to bring into each and every one of our debates. We'll go all the way team, as all DJ-ians, both current and ex-students, are standing behind you! Go team, we're going ALL THE WAY THIS YEAR! ALL THE WAY!

More scribbles from the bilik tayangan.

Guess that sometimes our artistic side only emerges after stressful periods. *BLINKS EYES*

Kevin and Keefe.

It's Friday already! We still got the weekends and Monday to work on the cases team! We can do it!

And I got this from Sophia's blog. It's just such a sweet photo!

The Team.

Movie outing on me if we make it as state champions! We're going to all go out and have good fun soon! Give it your all team, we're all right behind you!

And yes, I didn't get that damned law interview. Maybe it's for the best, cause now I have the weekend free to help my team! We'll make it through!

My Brother, the artist.

Preparing for the upcoming Wira debate is all that I have been doing these couple of days, and we're giving it our very, very best.

John meditating on debate points.

But debating's not all about world issues and definitions. Not all the time that is.

That's Calvin, and he's holding a mighty big Rubik's cube!

Yes, debate sometimes can mean playing with big Rubik's cube when everyone else is stressing and trying to get their speeches right!

Let me get this straight okay, debate ain't all about boring speech writing and monotonous speech rehearsals! It's about great, close friendship forged deep inside the bilik tayangan. It's about having friends who'll you'll stay close with for years to come. It's the truth!

And it's also about temporal bouts of artistic insanity. It's the truth!

(Art done by Keefe.)

Zafirah!

Calvin!

Jayshendra!

Sophia!

.
.
.
.
.
.

And yes, he especially loves me, because he made my picture *EXTRA NICE*.

Kevin!

Of course we had to get back at him. So we all chipped in to come up with something...... suitable.

Keefe!

Told you it was suitable!

Keep on working debaters! We're going to go ALL the way this year! IT'S THE TRUTH!

How to Get your Ex-Girlfriend back!

Got a random email from Stylelife, and it made a good deal of sense.

How to Get your Ex-Girlfriend back!

by Gypsy

I couldn't make her understand. Tears were in her eyes and a
wall in her mind blocked my logic. She didn't want me here
pleading in her living room anymore. She loved me, but she
wanted me gone. The more I stayed the more I hurt. Yet the
pain was all that I had left of our relationship. And if I was
here then I wasn't alone yet. It delayed me facing the
emptiness, along with the sleepless nights, the lack of
appetite, the piles of laundry, the stale air of my house
from being shut in for days and then weeks.

We had broken up before, several times to be honest. But,
this time carried with it a taste of finality, like acid in
the back of our throats. I hated the thought of now becoming
just me, and no longer a guy with a girlfriend. How would I
do it? How would she...well, she had that other guy, so I
guess that made things easier for her. I wouldn't be so
lucky. I would become single. I would have to call the
buddies that I neglected all too often to spend frivolous
time with her. We would have to go out into the unwelcoming
weekend nights, into the jungles of bars and clubs of
downtown Phoenix, Tempe, and Scottsdale. We'd get drunk and
roll the dice, and always miss more than we ever hit.

I wanted to be done looking. Damn it! I didn't want to go
back out there. I didn't want to take the lessons I learned
with her and try to apply them to a different person at a
different time. If she would just listen, I'd look past her
cheating, I had once already. But she couldn't hear past
that wall she raised upon which the dreams of our future
became tiny insignificant bug splats.

That night ended and the lines of what I should have said
rolled through my head like an endless scrolling LED sign. I
talked to everyone I could. I found counsel with friends and
tried to stay busy. Still she haunted me through life. I
found her hair when I washed my pillow cases. I had to say
her name when I canceled our dance lessons. This song or
that song was the one she'd burned to a CD for me. Her
MySpace said "Single" now. The necklace she gave me burned
heart-shaped scab into my chest. The hole she once filled
was all I had left and willingly I fell into it each day.

Eventually, I came here. I stumbled upon Neil's book and
chandeliers of ideas exploded in my head. The question
etched itself more boldly on my brain as I turned each page:
Would it all work on her?

...

Ring

"Hello."

"Hey, it's me."

"I know."

"Pick a number between 1 and 10 but don't say what it is."

"Um...OK."

"It's 7, right?"

"Yeah, what!? How did you..."

"I think I'm becoming psychic."

"Whatever. No you're not."

"Yeah, I went to this palm-reading lady and she had me do
this intuitive test called The Cube. I think it made me
psychic."

"Really, what was it?"

"Well, it's called The Cube and it tells you all about
yourself in a few questions. So first question..."

I demonstrated higher value, I disqualified, I elicited
values, I showed pre-selection, I sank neuro-linguistic
programming anchors every chance I got, and I built jealousy
plotlines like the ancient Egyptians build pyramids. To her
I became the all new attractive and exciting model of me. We
were together again, watching movies, having dinner, taking
road trips, and screwing like rabbits might on the night
before bunny Armageddon.

Almost a perfect story, but I couldn't keep it up forever. I
had only whitewashed the exterior of a rotting house. Inside
I was still hurt and unconfident. I juggled a good game for
a few months and then the bottom dropped out. And this time
our biting actions and burning words scarred our memories of
each other forever.

Now, many of you like I, came here for her, that one girl
that you are broken for. Often I am asked "How do I get her
back?" And yes I know the prescription for your affliction,
it's my own design. Yet to take that pill into your heart
is to invite doom there. It is the sin of vanity to seek to
resuscitate that which has died, to create your own
relationship monster of Frankenstein. The truth is that if
you manage to get her back it will self-destruct again.
There's too much hurt surrounding you both to make it right.

I know this truth doesn't dispel the hurt. In fact, it takes
some hard work on your part to move past it, but, you can
make it go away forever. There is no quick fix. You can use
this community and it's teachings to spackle over your
faults, however, this never allows you to rebuild your house
of attraction to its maximum height. We have all the secrets
you wish you knew since you first wanted to kiss a girl
instead of just pull her ponytails. If you put in the time
and effort to truly learn, then you become better. You can
mold yourself to be the life of the party, the guy with
the girlfriend of his dreams, the guy not afraid to approach
any woman you are attracted to.

Today, after the hurt is over I'm glad that I had her. I'm
glad that together we ripped a hole in my heart because
without it I wouldn't have met all of you. I wouldn't have
learned to be the man I am today. So embrace the pain and
make it the fuel that lights your fire of self-improvement.
Don't go after her and re-open the dark door of hurt, it
always ends one way.

Thank you Marlene.

That is so true. I guess things happen for a reason, and like Pn. Mag said, our most painful failures in life can turn out to be our greatest teachers, molding us into the people we are meant to be.

My dearest friends and my most cherished students, thank you for making me see that silver lining. You guys were my silver lining. Thank you.

The boy who talked too much.

When I was younger and still in primary school, my friends (and teachers alike) always knew me as the boy who talked just a little too much. I always had something to say about anything and everything. I am a naturally curious person and you could always see my hand flying up first in the air during lessons. Teachers would be bogged down with my questions and would many a time tell me to keep my questions to myself back then.

My natural aptitude for speaking and inclination for the spotlight has led me to naturally end up as an active public speaker, and eventually a school debater in my secondary school years. I loved speaking up and talking to people, I just did.

In college, my thirst for knowledge and aptitude for critical thinking led me to take up the new A-level subject offered in Singapore, Knowledge and Inquiry, after a very stringent selection process. Knowledge and Inquiry is a subject that throws philosophy, epistemology and the various modes of human inquiry together and forces us to look at the very fundamentals of how we construct knowledge in our everyday lives. It was in this new environment where I was given a chance to hone my writing skills and put my analytical and thinking skills I picked up through debating to the next level. I thrived doing that subject; for once, school really made me think and ponder about the nature of our reality. It made me see the world in a different light.

I continued my debating career well through college. I managed to secure a representative spot in the college’s debating team, which had only one spot for a foreign student, after overcoming stiff competition from other students, both Singaporeans and fellow foreign students alike.

To be honest, I really had no idea what I wanted to do or pursue after I was done with my A-levels. I have always seen myself as a multidisciplinary person – a renaissance man of sorts – equally adept at either arts or science subjects. I am naturally inquisitive and love learning about the world at large. The downside was that I had no idea what sort of course would be right for me - they all looked equally interesting. The many choices before me only added to my confusion.

Then a miracle happened.

I got a call, offering me a job as a teacher in the secondary school that I was from as they were short on teachers. I gladly took up the offer.

I was made to teach all sorts of subjects, ranging from English, Moral Knowledge to even Art. It seemed daunting at first, walking into a class without any teaching experience, but something inside me lit up when I first saw the faces of my students listening attentively when I walked in class to teach – my students appreciated and needed me.

I taught them not because it was something my headmistress required of me, but because I wanted to give them my all. I went the extra mile for them and they showed me that they appreciated it. I received little notes telling me how they enjoyed my lectures; comments on my blog telling me that they were going to miss me when I had to go. I was actually making a difference in the lives of my students.

For once in my life, I truly felt satisfied. It was not because of personal achievement or material gain, but because I have discovered joy in serving others.

At about the same time when I was teaching, another event changed my outlook on life – the Malaysian general elections. I was fed up with my government. I loved my country, but I hated the corruption so rife in our government; I resented the fact that students far less academically qualified than me received government scholarships while so many like me were just forgotten. I wanted change, but few believed it was possible.

“The ruling coalition is just too powerful,” they told me. This did not deter me. I made my message for change clear to my friends and family, persuading them to believe in change. It became apparent to me that whatever I am to do in life, I want to bring about positive change in the lives of others.

It made me realize – I want to serve. I want to ensure that justice prevails. I want to ensure that kids in rural areas are not deprived of a proper education. It made me see that I wanted to be a law student – a person well versed with convincing arguments and knowledge of the legal system so that one day, the boy that once talked too much can be someone who spoke out for those who can’t speak, who could stand up for those too weak to stand.

The boy that once talked too much finally saw how he fit in life's grand scheme.

*this was one of my scholarship application essays (:

Edit: *SCREAMS!* why is the law interview letter not here yet when the interviews are during the coming weekend! *SCREAMS!*

Wira Debate - All the way from here.

We've come too far to go back now.

For the past month or so, I have been coaching the Wira debate team of DJ and I am proud to say that we have made it through 4 grueling debates so far.

And here we are, currently representing PJ Utara and we just have 3 more debates to go to become state champions. And thats really something.

We've got a good team this year, and we've got people around who are willing to spend their time coaching the team this year. If the team puts in their all, we've got a really good chance to go all the way this year, all the way to the national finals.

I just hope that they really appreciate the opportunity that they have this year, this year's Wira team, and that they give it their best shot. Opportunities like this don't come every day. Hope you guys know that.

Work hard team! Just a bit more to achieve something you'll remember all your life!

Trust me guys, when I say victory tastes good. It's just so sweet and I'm praying so hard that we'll make it this year. We're all praying for you guys - Mr. Andrew Loh, John, Mark, Adeline, Kalkena... Once a DJ debater, always a DJ debater.

So, Keefe, Zafirah, Jayshendra, Daryl, Sophia, Rachel and Calvin, I hope that you guys will work hard to seize this opportunity - it's one that only comes once in a lifetime. I also hope that you'll take back more from this debate than just the trophy at the end of the day, but you guys grow as debaters and public speakers, and more importantly, grow even closer as true friends. I can honestly say that I've made really good friends through debate, and that all the stressed up times we had in the 'Bilik Tayangan' really brought us so much closer together (remember Black Maria, John?)!

So team, please put in your 100% into debate for these few more rounds till we reach the national finals. You will so NOT regret it when we bring that beautiful trophy back for the third time.

Here are the next 3 motions that we'll have to prepare for the next round of debating on the 29th and 30th of April:

• THBT the heart is more powerful than the brain.
• THBT the future of our world is in the hands of the technologists, not the naturalist.
• THBT the growing sense of individualism is the root cause of the disintegration of today's marriages.
  

Email me please anybody has insights on these 3 motions! Any help would be greatly appreciated! We've got to go all the way this year people, we just have to!

What Mayshi drew for me after we won the Taylor's debate. (:

And I guess Mayshi was right - again, I'm with debating, my old flame again. We'll go all the way together this year, ALL THE WAY!

Three very special ladies.

I'm really happy.

It was a really short, rushed trip to Singapore but it really opened my eyes to how much I've missed my close friends back there.

In my 24 hours there, I am proud to say that I have met up with quite a large number of close friends but today I would like to write about the 3 closest female friends I have back there and I just felt so happy and thankful to have the opportunity to meet up with them.

Presenting the three really important ladies in my life that hail from Singapore!

These three give the best hugs ever! *Love!* Miss you girls so much!

1. Maria "Hamlet" Gimik

Our rooftop escapade.

I spent nearly every single school day in JC with her and it just feels so weird not having her around as shes still busy working for G-Star raw.

Started calling her Hamlet one fine day in Mrs. Leow's chemistry class because she had this whole boyish Victorian pageboy look. The name stuck. And we came up with the name for our rock band if ever decide to form one. Hamlet's Heroes is the name. She's Hamlet and I'm the good looking hero. (: You're my inspiration babe.

Maria is my ultimate shopping buddy because we share similar tastes in fashion and style. Love the way she keeps making me buy cool stuff I don't need. We'll go to Koh Samui alright? That's one thing we're not going to mess up. And we're going to have the funnest time ever. Promise.

We're both crazy posers.

"I know now why God was being funny, and put me in a scholar's class. T'was to meet you."

-Hamlet, said as "When my guitar gently weeps" gently played in the background.

2. Jasmine "Twin" Tan

My twin and I (and a hat).

Sometimes, people are just fated to meet. Once upon a time, there was a girl who sat next to me. She thought she was really pretty. I begged to differ and seemed to have some issues with her height. Something in us just clicked and we realized that we were both very, very similar. We even shared the same Chinese surname!

She's wearing what I got her for her birthday!

It was just so easy to talk to each other, and we became each other's confidante. She ran to me with her problems, and I ran to her with mine. She really backed me up when I ran into troubling times and I'm just so thankful to have met this twin of mine. Life's troubles are so much less scary when you just know that you have someone that will listen just a phone call away.

Come to think about it, every time we go out we end up having a good deal of good fun! Always!


3. Bernadette "The Major" Fah

The Major.

When I first watched the Ghost in the Shell series, my first thought was that the Major really resembled Bern. They're both really strong female characters who won't accept shit for an answer.

Met her in a speech competition when she impressed me with her astounding oratorical skills. Seemed to keep bumping into her after that, at KI symposiums and debate competitions.

And yes, Chin Swee Rd. (:

Bern is amazing, she's a really good friend and really listens and gives me good advice whenever I need it. I guess I need a woman of her strength to bash me into shape whenever I'm being all stupid and all. (: And she really does knock sense into me every now and then!

I still remember her telling me that I'll get through the trouble of writing my KI independent study because she doesn't take idiots for friends. Bern, I'm the same way and I really think that you are one heck of a talented girl. Sad that I can't show her art here, but her art really is amazing. Thanks for putting up with all my nonsense!


Just knowing that I have friends like you girls makes me just so happy. Take care till we meet again okay? We'll have many more happy memories together in the future! People like you make my world go round.

The interview was okay, but it was really short.

Till then, I hope you have friends as great as mine!

Fight Club

Just decided to post one of my older drawings because watching Fight Club earlier today reminds me of it.

What was I doing with my life then?

What I do when I stay up late at night.

Fight Club's an awesome movie and I encourage everyone to watch it because it serves as a good reminder on how all the extra things in life keep distracting us from living life proper. Life's short, life's precious, and life's supposed to be lived to the full. There's no point living out a half assed life anyway.

And besides, Brad Pitt looked his very best in that movie. Oh well, the male ego demands that I exercise more again. (:

Warning: If you are reading this then this warning is for you. Every word you read of this useless fine print is another second off your life. Don't you have other things to do? Is your life so empty that you honestly can't think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so impressed with authority that you give respect and credence to all that claim it? Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think every thing you're supposed to think? Buy what you're told to want? Get out of your apartment. Meet a member of the opposite sex. Stop the excessive shopping and masturbation. Quit your job. Start a fight. Prove you're alive. If you don't claim your humanity you will become a statistic. You have been warned

- Tyler Durden, Fight Club.

Will be dropping by Singapore today for an interview. Hope that everything goes well!

Get out there and live life, NOW!

If tomorrow never comes.

It's a fact of life - we begin to cherish things much more only when we lose them.

When things are good, it's part of our nature to only demand more, often to the point where we become frustrated with our own lives, forgetting to count the many, many blessings we have.

I said goodbye for the last time to a dear friend last Tuesday. He would be 20 this year. His name was Andrew Yap.

Andrew was working out in the gym one fine day and he had a fall, a bad fall from a chin-up bar. He hit his head bad on the floor and he passed out. The doctors did all they could to save him, and we prayed for a miracle, and we got one. Just that it wasn't exactly the one we all asked for.

Andrew Yap never did wake up, but the friends he had around him his miracle - no one can deny that someone who could make friends from far corner of the world fly back just to be with him and shave their heads bald so that they could accompany him in his baldness when he wakes up is someone magical indeed.

Attending his memorial service and listening to the eulogies that painted a picture of a life that touched so many others, reminded me of a speech I heard some time ago that Abel gave when it was his time to leave DJ.

He said that in life, people come and go. Yes, people will come into your life but as close as they are to you, the day will come when they will have to leave. It hurts to think about it, but like it or not, we're but tiny mortals in the face of fate. Anything can happen and in the end, we all have to leave.

He went on to say that the best we can do is to really cherish the time we spend with the people we love.

That opened my eyes, the stark realization that I have come to take the people I really care about for granted, and I always want the people I love to know that I really, really love them.

Only when you realize that fate can suddenly tear the people you love away from you at any given time, all the little things fall away. Petty arguments, minor disagreements, and even major slip-ups all fall away when you realize that your days with your loved ones truly are numbered.

What matters in life really isn't that prestigious degree, that giant paycheck or that monstrous bungalow, it's love.

As I look through my posts on Hamlet's Hero, I realized that my posts are mostly center about a common theme - love. Love for the people around me, my love for life and my love for my country. I always want to do my best to show the people around me that I truly care for them.

Andrew Yap, thank you for bringing us all together and reminding us of just how important love is. Take care where you are, my friend.

Still keeping busy.

I'm still really busy these days even though it was my last day as a teacher in DJ last Friday. I'm still really busy with the SMKDJ Wira debate team and we've got another big debate coming up tomorrow. I'll see if I have time to write the posts I want to write as well as to get all my Art marks done tomorrow after the debate. Just praying so hard that I am able to impart my debating experience onto my team, hopefully passing them the proverbial torch, giving rise to a new generation of debaters.

Miss you people in school so much, my students. Hope to see more of you guys soon!

Just hoping so much that we'll make it through tomorrow. We'll go all the way this year, all the way.