IB so far…
So it’s been what. a year since my last post?
IB’s been crazy, I’ve been back in for about six months now. And it’s kinda sad watching all your friends graduate, going off to find jobs, going to NS, going to uni, coming back to collect results, then going off again. I mean, I’m happy for them and all, but it’s kinda like I’ve been left behind.
There was an Ancient’s Gathering last weekend. Damn, it was fun. Stuff like that gives me something to look forward to in the future. Can’t wait for Easter Vigil choir practice. Then I actually have something to look forward to in the middle of a school week, ain’t that just great!
Siying’s starting a glee club. I think that’ll be fun! Unless of course it’s a total flop and nothing happens. Hope not. And Archery’s not bad too, just a bit painful and quite sian sometimes to go SO FAR AWAY for three hours. Doesn’t really help the workload that I’m already behind on.
Oh I went to Disney World last year, I can’t even describe how fun it was. I’d like to go there again someday… Who knows when. The tickets are so ex, and it’s no use going alone right. It’s crazy there, you feel like you’re a kid all over again, there’s just no helping it. And Universal Studios too, that one was cooler; the coasters were more exciting too (naturally).
I also went to Philippines last March, to help out in Gawad Kalinga. That was fun, and pinoy kids are UBER CUTE!!! There’s another trip to the Philippines this year though; it’s to Payatas, which is like THE slum of Philippines, and it’s basically a shanty town made of a huge garbage dump, and people actually live there. Quite sad, and I wanna go, but I don’t really know what to expect, and having my IOC and EE due after the March holidays ain’t gonna help either…
So now I have PCa as my bio teacher right, and I hatehatehatehatehate her so much!! It’s just dreadful; the way she treats students and expects them to be so perfect, making her such a hypocritical biatch. And she’s killing Bio for me, cuz it’s just so frustrating being in her class!! I want Hjorth back =(
Oh wells, I guess that’s enough of my ramblings for today. If IB permits me, I’ll try to post more often, but then again I’ll probably just die off after awhile anyway.
Africa!!
Here’s like a Ctrl-C & Ctrl-V of FB =)
Gabriel is going to Africa!
at 1:11am tomorrow
I’m going to Kenya next Wed, on a service mission trip, as a volunteer with the diocese of Lodwar (my mom has a friend there called Fr Francis who works there) and I’ll be going around with him mostly… So I own’t be going with anyone from Singapore, but I’ll be well taken care of, although I WON’T be staying in a hotel (regrettably =P)…
I’ve taken Yellow Fever jab, and should have anti-Malaria pills (I think) with me. I’ll be gone a month, back after 1st week of March, just in time for your school holidays (although I am going for the Gawad Kalinga thing with SJII). I’m taking Singapore Airlines to Jo’burg and Kenyan Airways from Jo’burg to Nairobi, local domestic carrier from Nairobi to Lodwar, and same all the way back…
sounds like Eskor is already missing u haha 
|
Danusha Kirin Krishnan wrote at 2:15pm
Hello gabby!! (: hugs* miss you!
|
Holidays =)
When you thought the holidays couldn’t come any sooner!
I have CRAZY amounts of homework to do, mostly huge projects which the teachers expect to be done by the time we get back in Jan. Also, I think some teachers hate me cuz I’m so bad at keeping to deadlines -_-” zomg. I just need a vacation to somewhere for a year or two =P
Other than that, the last day of school was a joke, no one did any serious work, and the teachers knew it =) Mass ended late, so I didn’t bother going for the boring Econs talk that was “so important”, and ended up mingling with the SJI Legionaries instead… After that, I spent English class reading Eclipse, and then in Maths we played Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Maths version. Fun, but irritating cuz my maths now sux. Really really bad =( *sigh* everything seems to be going downhill don’t it!
Had Volare today, the party itself wasn’t bad, but the emcee was quite irritating and kept talking on and on and on… The performances weren’t bad, but I hadn’t the energy to pull myself to go mosh. I saved it for the disco dancing after (and even then I gave up early). Good job to the people organizing it, it was really great and all, but I still think it was a bit boring (SORRY, not your fault, it’s just my skepticism and criticism).
Hopefully none of the organizers are reading my blog -_-”
Speaking of which, WHY are you reading my blog? It’s quite bo liao. Other people write better stuff =P HAHA. Oh I got pulled up on stage to sing Slither when I totally don’t rmb the lyrics, plus I got dragged around Orchard Rd by Chen Wei Jin cuz he needed to buy shoes and a shirt, which he didn’t wear in the end… Plus I went dressed as a EMO GOTH. Haha.
If you’re still wondering why, my official excuse is that I missed Halloween cuz I was in a church camp, so I decided to postpone it to now… Hence the black nails and black eyeliner. Drew quite a lot of (unwanted) attention, but oh well…
Oh since Mr Wong goes blogsurfing as well, this bit is for him: I feel like running away from all this madness!! Its tough enough to keep up with classes and coursework and homework and projects and assignments and deadlines, let alone CATCH UP when I fall behind. And I REALLY MEAN fall behind. I am currently five chapters behind in Maths, two commentaries behind in Economics, two essays behind and a whole lot of other overdue homework in English, several worksheets and assignments behind in Chem, behind schedule on my EE, totally clueless in ToK, and not to mention so giving up hope on Chinese. Right now, my worst subjects are English, Maths and Chinese. HOW SAD IS THAT?!?!
I can’t wait for Legion Chalet next week. I’m gonna run away from all this madness, get rid of all my sadness, run with the wind and indulge in my sin =)
Hahaha, that last bit doesn’t really make sense, I know.
Oh the Sound of Music production was fantastic for a project of such a scale (and for a school production too)!! Good job to all those who were in it/helped out/acting/singing/playing/etc. It was so amazing to watch all my friends perform =) Special congrats to: Nicollette, Jessica, ROWLAND, Sunshine, Jeremiah, and all other cast members =)
And after that performance, I will NEVER look at the duet between Liesl and Rolph the same way again!! I can’t even begin to describe the way they sang it =P HAHA! Good job to those two =)
I’m bored, and I’m tired, so I’ll go read my Eclipse until I fall asleep =P
GOODNIGHT PEOPLE!! And good job to XES tonight!! Yall rawked (as did the other bands) =P Plus, thanks to Celine and Weijin for dragging me to the party. Waste of time, but at least it was fun with friends =)
NITEZ =)
Mumbai lah deh!
Hey all readers!! (If any do indeed exist…)
I write to you all the way from MUWCI, Mumbai. Mahindra United World College, our kind hosts, have an excellent campus in which we reside for the duration of our stay =P
I tell you, it is SO NICE here, cuz of all the greenery and the scenery. It is literally (and I ain’t joking) a forest reserve with 178 acres of land bought from the surrounding villages. It is a self-sufficient urban dwelling in the midst of a rural setting, and the students are all very fun people.
Other than that, we’re still in the introductory phase of the programme, but we are quickly approaching the main part of our itinerary: actually going to the villages to see developmental economics in reality.
Apart from that, some miscellaneous information: I’m rooming with Weijin, Chai and Padia, and my regular camwhore partners are Saa and Kathy (GSK rawks!! haha) But there’s like no air con in thye campus so its quite hot during the day, but at night its like free air con outside. Then now I’m in the IT centre with Alyssa cuz we didn’t wanna follow the others to go to some Hokkien-speaking girl’s wada (house/dorm).
I also don’t wanna read the articles they gave out, but I might get like other ppl to summarize it for me, cuz they’re really long and really wordy. Other than that, I’ve been keeping a super long journal and ppl keep asking me why I do that. Truth is I don’t know, maybe it just gives me something to do.
Just to ramble on a bit further, and you can stop reading if you want cuz this is gonna go on for quite a long time, I really prefer to spend whatever time I can find alone away from the group, rather than messing about with friends and such… Although I can’t really explain why I feel that way =(
Maybe its just my emo side acting up =P HAHAHA
Anywayy, other than India stuff, exams just finished and I really don’t know how I got through them. Maybe its all those morning prayers and masses coming in handy, eh? hahaha =P But seriously, God played a big role in helping me get through the exams, as well as all my friends (like Weijin) who would just blurt out what they’ve studied or explain stuff to me right before the exam, then those things really come out and I’m saved.
Hahahaha. I’m seriously rambling now, but the next post probably won’t be for a very long time, since I’ve still got that craaazy huge pile of homework awaiting my attempts at demolishing it when I get back to Singapore, PLUS new assignments like two Bio IAs (projects), two Econs commentaries (project) cuz I didn’t do the first one yet, and other random homework.
Somebody just kill me now.
So I’ll go find a quiet corner or somewhere to hide away and either sketch (my drawing sux. seriously) or go back to my room and read my storybook (first of the Pellinor series, it’s not bad :=P)
Anywayy, I don’t really feel like stopping this ramble but I know people gotta go do other stuff, so thanks for reading all the way through (if you did, of course) and I’ll post something soon (hopefully)
SEE YALL WHEN I GET BACK TO SINGAPORE!!!!
Dead Much?
Kayy I shall try to remember not to use bright colours this time. I forgot they changed my blog background from black to white… Stupid friendster, but my blog’s pretty much dead anywayy =P
LAdedadeda. What have I been up to? Nothing much actually, apart from SingFest08 awhile back in July, Avril Lavigne concert in August, F1 in September, Exams in October… Oh, not to mention Challenge Week in Chiang Rai, Thailand in early September, plus the Tioman trip I just came back from last week, and the India trip I’m leaving for next weekend.
Crazy, huh?
That’s not even counting camps and homework… But, thankfully, I probably couldn’t live without a hectic lifestyle… I’m smack in the middle of exams now and I’m blogging. Amazing, aren’t I?
And just for fun, I’ll upload a few pics onto Friendster just to keep it alive =) So no one will notice I’m completely addicted to Facebook.
Oops. Too late =P
Good luck to all those taking O/A levels, and any exam whatsoever. Hope to see you during the holidays, but don’t count on it. It’s already packed with stuff to do.
HSM3 is coming out!! I’m so gonna watch it in the cinema, unlike all those doofs who’re gonna download it from home. Sorry Joseph =P
Anywayys, I’m soo glad I finished my bloody Maths project. Now I can clear up the pile of homework that’s formed a mountain on my conscience… Haiz.
Fell sick recently. Puked five times in four hours in church on Sunday morning. Shouldn’t tell you why though. Aaron Chan says the internet is not safe.
OH I wanna watch Eagle Eye!! (Almost spelt it as Eagly Ey there hehe). And now I’m just rambling, but oh well. What are blogs for =P
Okay, okay. I’m gonna go eat dinner and try and get some homework done cuz I don’t feel like studying. Not.One.Bit.
Esp cuz the chem paper sucked today, not cuz it was hard or anything (papers are generally quite soft) but cuz it was super long and no one in their right mind could finish it on time… Then the econs paper which I was SOO not ready for came but it wasn’t that bad. I think I can pass =P
Stupid small ants all over my bed and my room and all over ME. Grrrr. Geroff me!!! Aaargh.
Kayy, I’ve rambled enough for now!! See you in a few months time =)
Random Update
I donated blood today!! And I got a nice yellow bandage with bumblebees on it!! I also did my Challenge Week presentation today (97% in Chinese) the photos will be on facebook (I hope) as soon as Niko gets the DVDs burnt for us!! (*hinthint* Niko)
Anyway, Thailand was super super fun =) I want my Mong Khun!! (This extremely cute Thai boy at the Wiang Kaen home).
So if you don’t really know what Challenge Week is about, its basically a week where you fly off in groups of four or five to another country (out of your comfort zone, so Pinoys can’t go Philippines, Indons can’t go Indo, etc.) to challenge themselves! It also includes OCIP (overseas CIP) where you adopt a charity/orgnization/home of your choice, and bring whatever benefit is possible to that place =)
So our group went to the Caholic Mission of Wiang Kaen in Chiang Rai, Thailand. And found alot alot of cute kids there =P I soooo wanna go back!!
But apart from that, Maths HL Internal Assessment (a huge project that contributes toward the final grade for IB) suxxx. I totally don’t know how to do it lah!! Apart from the first two questions which are quite easy once you get down to it, I’m lost! Not to mention all the difficulty I’m having in Rainone’s super genius G11 Maths HL class -_-”
Anyway, its not only Maths, but I’ve fallen behind in English, Chinese, Econs, and worst of all my EE!! I just handed up the proposal form yesterday!! ZOMG. Miss Carter’s gonna screw me upside down when she finds out =P Haiz. But at least that’s done, I still got TWO bloody econs commentaries to worry about from TWO different units!! Gawd help me =(
Can Joey and I just run away to Thailand where everything’s so nice and peaceful (Northern Thailand countryside btw)! I wanna go back and visit my cute kids!!! =P
Oh well, other than that, donating blood was fun today (Jesz don’t read this portion). The super long thick needle could be felt, but was hardly painful as it sunk into my beige-brown flesh, deeper and deeper till the viscous red came gushing out, oozing like a waterfall into the test tube =P LOL. But really, nothing hurt at all… Its amazing how people are so traumatized (the fear I can still empathize with, since I’m afraid of heights, but… oh well)
FACEBOOK IS SAPPING MY LIFE!!!
Haiz… Anyway, other than that, end of year exams are coming soon, but the Biology expedition to Tioman is right before that, so hopefully I can still have SOME fun before all life is drained =(
Oh yeah, forgot to mention I met Chitty in the canteen and Nigelseng in the hall today… How coincidental, its quite rare that all three of us get to sit down and just chat… Bet you they don’t even know I have a blog!! HAHAHA… But exams so near alr!! Dieded much =( Oh good luck to all sec fours sitting for O’s and all J2’s sitting for A’s!! (PS You shouldn’t be reading this, you should be studying by now!!) Haha.
Haiz.. I’m so super super tired… I’m gonna bed yall… Nitez
Luv,
GABZ:)
KS’08
Recently returned to my SJI for a sequel to Kindred Spirits. Bigger, better, stronger.
Picture of XES (the band I got abducted into this time).
Weird alternatives for our band names kept us entertained in the holding room. XeSji seemed to come out top favourite. Read it backwards to get what it means (for all those who haven’t alr got it).
Stage fright is maddening. Too bad the performance high only comes AFTER the damn thing ends.
It was fun, and fun indeed. Met old SJI frenz whom I left behind or separated from after graduation. *reminiscent*
A lotta SJI bois also shaved their heads for the Hair for Hope thingummy which some people are trying to con me into.
Bald doods.
Wish I could’ve seen the dances tho, they seemed quite cool. Other than that, the bands rawked the show pretty much. Not to mention Christopher Palmer Gozali with his crazy piano recitals.
Emcees are getting better as far as I know. I’d never want their job. It’ll probably flatten itself and commit suicide before it gets to me.
So some people are asking me about SJI Int’l life, and what it has to offer. It may be crazy fun, but with everything there are always pros and cons; I might be regretting sacrificing the academic content & extensive knowledge for a life of fun, friends, and camwhoring. Hmmmm. Then again, maybe not =)
But really, if you’re considering life in SJII, just know that the syllabus is oversimplified, and you’re likely to doubt if its truly an A level equivalent. Other than that, enjoy life and live it!
Also, I’ll be at SingFest this weekend. Wave if you see me =)
Till the next post (unpredictable as the timing will be)
<3 gabz.
Bahston
Since I got here its been quite a ride, we’ve gone quite a few places in the past week or so:
Plymouth town (where the English pilgrims first landed in America) and the Mayflower II (the replicated ship that they came on) and the Pilgrim’s Plantation (where modern day people role play the 17th century villagers and natives).
Gloucester town (where we visited a quaint little light house and took many pictures along a stone ridge of a breakwater, as well as had some seafood at a restaurant)
Wrentham (a huge shopping complex comprising many many stores with discounted prices)
HAHVAHD Square (the Bahston pronunciation of Harvard) and a tour of the university itself by its undergraduates, with lunch at a nearby Burger restaurant that had AWESOME burgers
Boston duck tours (the original duck tours, where they converted military amphibious vehicles into a tourist attraction) and Prudential shopping mall (where I got gumballs for Wei jin)
Swan Boats at Boston Common (one in a string of parks forming the Emerald Necklace) right next to the Public Garden and Frog Pond wading pool (which turns into an ice skating rink in the winter)
Downtown Crossing off Park Street (where some of the best shops are like DSW and Borders) and also where the Green trains all converge
Massachusetts State House (where the politicians go to work) where we did a self-tour around the building
Logan international airport (where they have a very cute bally thingy like the one we have outside our Science Centre Macdonalds)
Coolidge Corner (a little shopping belt right inside Brookline which is where my sisters live)
And we’re also going to Six Flags New England this Saturday to ride on roller coasters, right before I fly off on Sunday for Washington DC. *Haiz* I prefer staying here, but at least the hotel might have better air con than the one we have here…
And now I have my HOUSE season 4! Muahahaha. Its so cool, its obviously the best season yet!!! Can’t wait to finish it, cuz there’s not much good TV to watch here, so its all DVDs.
And who could forget the SHOPPING that I’ve already done?!?!?! Oh man, hope it can all fit my suitcase!! Here’s a nice list of what I’ve bought SO FAR:
4 pairs of knee-high shorts (jeans material)
3 pairs of thigh-high shorts (swimsuit material)
3 pairs of jeans
2 pairs of new slippers
1 pair of shoes
1 pair of sunglasses
1 dress watch
2 necklaces
6 black shirts
5 long sleeved shirts
4 dress pants
3 new neckties
2 dry fit shirts
10 new storybooks
1 new belt
CRAZY RIGHT!!! And that’s not even counting what I bought for friends!! So if you actually bother to read this (and are not Belmond) tell me what you want by email/sms NOW!
Seeyall when I get back in Singapore on June 28… Don’t think I can blog till I get back (and find some time of utter boredom to revive this blog again)
lovelove,
gabz.
PS I miss everyone =P
Revival
Prompts to revive this blog long-forsaken have not passed unnoticed. Randomness as a spur and boredom as initiation, it arises from the dead; renewed, reborn, revived.
Just kidding, I can talk normal English. Anyway, SJII RAWKS like nothing on Earth, except maybe for SJI, but that’s not the point.
Reminiscence of the past is not unacceptable, but the ever-inevitable future looms ahead, and the present is slipping past day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment.
If I said I didn’t miss SJII, I’d be lying. But its not the compulsion of being in an all boys’ school or the carefree days of secondary school. Its the fraternity one shares with friends across all four levels, with minimal cliquish behavior.
Pride led to self-exaltation, blinded by arrogance. There was bitterness all around; faults were ignored, let alone attended to.
The one single thing I miss most about SJI - Legion. I don’t know what it was, but I guess most of my best friends were from LOM QOAS (with the obvious exception of Belmond and Lennon). I’d never forget all the fun I had there, and even though LLTC might give a similar heartwarming experience, it doesn’t have the same religious aspect of feeding your soul as just feeding the relationships around you.
I AM
FATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATEFATE
Anyway, thanks for being a great friend to me, even if I don’t really know you/you don’t really know me and you’re reading this anyway…
"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back when you have forgotten the words"
So thanks for being a friend, and goodnight everybody!!!
"Greater love no one has than this, than to lay down his life for his friends"
John 15:13
O levels
This post goes out to all old friends of mine from SJI, whether I know them or not.
And also to all my newfound friends of SJI(I), whom I have yet to know.
‘Twas pandemonium in the air, the atmosphere reeked of anxiety and anticipation.
‘Twas not long after I reached my home school before receiving a summons.
‘Twas Mr Sydney Tan, summoning me to his office.
‘Twas the reason for good or for bad, I knew not, but followed obediently instead.
‘Twas the congratulatory greetings that jolted my heart, the announcement which I yearned to hear.
‘Twas God’s hand, evidently working miracles in my life.
‘Twas the best piece of news I could possibly have heard there and then.
‘Twas my six points, signed, sealed and delivered to my very own eyes and ears.
‘Twas no more the anxiety or anticipation but pure relief and elated surprise.
‘Twas great, and grateful more.
‘Twas farewell to all my friends.
‘Twas secondary school no more.
‘Twas then and even now, it never ends.