today totally rocks. like sch rocks, mep rocks, n after mep rocks too!
in mep, me kiwi n willette were laughing at dorcas cuz of her reaction n ignorance [inside joke].. HAHA. esp me n kiwi, we laugh till stomach pain still couldn't stop.. so funny la! then, i did this stupid catwalk thing for our compositions.. haha.. so cool.. n then, i managed to ans 2 qtns correctly for the 1st time in my entire life of mep! n its one after the other.. im determined not to get last in class this yr! cuz obviously im the lousiest person left.. oh, we talked abt stupid experiences ppl had with guys n couples.. like kiwi n the 2 ACSI guys.. ya n the bonsai garden thing i saw.. urgh.. but still funny.. so mep today was super fun! except for the fact there's hw..
NEXT. after mep, willette celine xiner n i went to macs! the guy was super nice! he gave us free apple pie n upgraded my drink for free! so for $3.30, we got apple pie, a regular drink and medium fries... heh.. rocks rite! n celine hit the wrong person's butt agaiN! HAHA. she thot it was kayleigh but it turned out to be a sec 2! too bad bean!
& i realised how many ppl were 1 booking away from DC..
& its only January
& i'm 1 of them... -.-
& i realised guides camp is on my b'day
& dat really sucks
& like who wants their b'day spent in sch
& it's a whole day
& i mean all the way till 12 midnight
URGH. give me a break dudes..
Time really flies.. 5 days in OBS over! From the 15th to 19th of this month, i was in pulau ubin for OBS! i really really need to blog about this because it's one of the most amazing experiences i ever ever had and i wanna rmb it for life! every single detail... so dun read if u can't stand it cuz its gonna be really naggy..
Day 1:
We arrived at school at 7.15am and went to the hall for a briefing.. i was really scared and nervous because i didn't know what it was going to be like there, like the hygiene, physical activities and food.. Then, we boarded the bus at 8+am, chatting and trying to forget my worries because we all thought we were going to be in the same group.. We reached the jetty at punggol and took a ship 'symphony' to pulau ubin, playing concentration and the cookie jar game on the way.. retarded but fun.. haha.. When we reached OBS camp 2, we had a briefing again and also started playing games like 'katong laksa'.. after that, we found out we were going to be separated into different groups! i was so pissed! Willette and Dorcas ended up in Cheng Ho, Valteo in Amundsen, and me in Armstrong.. together with Alexys, Jermaine, Filzah, Farizan, Liyana, Kimberley, Valtan, Rachel, Liza, Liye, Celestine.. and instructors Elgene and CJ.. at first i thot i wasn't gonna enjoy my stay at OBS cuz i wasn't close to any of them, maybe except filzah.. CJ confiscated all our wallets, hp, n food den we started introducing ourselves.. Elgene's nickname was chiobu! and CJ actually had 3 kids.. he din look that old! hahaha.. then we went to see our equipment stores.. after dat, we went rock climbing.. they taught us to belay, wear the harness and belay calls.. i climbed the wall 2 times cuz there was an odd no. and everyone had to belay once.. the rocks were really rough and when i reached the top of the wall i still had to wait for the instructor to check the carribean.. we ate bread and fruity bars for lunch.. in the evening, CJ showed us where we were supposed to set up the tents.. (we were mobile).. he led us straight into the woods, deeper and deeper.. all of us were super scared.. the ppl in front saw a big spider n a wild boar.. i saw the spider web.. finally, when we couldn't see the open or any civilization, he stopped.. there were so many mosquitoes! he taught us how to pitch tents.. i hope i wun forget how to do it! then at night, half of us cooked food and the rest went to pitch tents.. i went to pitch tents.. super scary.. i was like grabbing on to kimberley and valtan.. walking on the squishy mud together bonded us even more.. we took more than an hour to pitch the tents.. cuz it was in the dark.. and it wasn't even complete.. we went down to eat and realised the food ppl actually waited for us! so touching.. :D we all squatted beside the pots and ate sausages and rice.. though it was just a simple meal and the rice din even taste like rice, we all enjoyed it cuz we were with our friends, and now that we suffered together, we were even closer than before.. we went to hv our baths.. the toilets had no lock and no place to hang clothes but oh well.. when i was in the middle of bathing, there was fire drill! so i had to change quickly b4 even finishing bathing and run.. Sih Im had some bloody problems.. hahaha.. later at night, Jermaine, Alexys, Kimberley, Valtan and i slept together in a tent.. Alexys din turn in her phone! the tent was on a slope and the ground was really hard so we all only got a few hours of sleep.. i heard branches cracking outside, like someone was walking on them.. and i heard crickets buzzing arnd.. it was the 1st time i slept in the woods..
Day 2:
the 5 of us woke up first in the morning! we woke the others up and took down our tents.. we ate our breakfast and met up with CJ and Elgene.. we had our first morning circle near the jetty.. when the instructors say "good morning armstrong!", we had to say "the morning is good!".. everyone was tired so we weren't so enthu.. we did some warm up exercises, like OBS famous finger fencing and thigh sumo wrestling.. finger fencing is when we grab our partner's hand and try to touch each other's shoulders.. thigh sumo wrestling is trying to touch our partner's thighs, but we can only hop arnd sideways.. then, we went to the jetty for our reflection session.. because we were late for many things on day 1, a lot of ppl said time management was sth we were bad at.. we wrote our journals.. after dat, some ppl had to check the cleanliness of the campsite again and the rest went to pack our bags for our land expedition to camp 1.. where the residential ppl were staying.. our bags were really heavy cuz we had to carry a two 2litre bottle, with at least one filled up with water.. together with our ponchos, harnesses, whistles, and personal items.. altogether i think it's arnd 8-10kg.. we still had to carry grp stuff like our food, jericans, helmets etc.. after dat, we studied the map with CJ and Elgene.. in the afternoon, we set off! we walked through the woods and on main roads, with Alexys and Jermaine leading the way.. i think we walked arnd 3km with our heavy bags and by the time we reached there, my shoulder and neck muscles were aching.. camp 1 was much much nicer den camp 2! after we put down our bags, we went to hv lunch at the canteen.. the canteen was on the 3rd floor.. we had proper food at last! lunch was cabbage, chicken, rice, some spicy soup and apples.. and the drink was cold apple syrup! we were so happy! then we went for rock climbing again.. this time, they taught us how to climb the wall.. they also told us that for each tile above the red line we climb, we would earn 100 points.. these points were to be used for equipment for rafting.. the instructors cost 10000 points! i climbed to the top, which was 700 points.. Sih Im had height phobia, so she was almost crying when she reached the red line.. but all of us cheered her on, especially Elgene and finally she managed to climb 2 tiles above the red line! i felt so bonded as a grp when we all encouraged each other.. when all of us finished, Alexys climbed the overhang wall and earned another 800 points.. altogether we counted, and we din even hv enough to "buy" the instructors! we tried ways and means to get points, some ppl called Elgene "chiobu" and she gave 100 points! then they told us that if we did the morning circle exercise, the one where we shouted "the morning is good" and make at least 2 ppl from the other grps turn arnd to look at us, they would give us 100 points.. so we went right smack in the middle of the hall.. Jermaine and Alexys shouted "good morning raffles!" and the rest of us went, "the morning is good!" and we succeeded! we were all laughing at each other cuz we felt so retarded.. after rock climbing, we went to learn kayaking.. its the first time i ever kayaked.. they taught us how to wear our life jackets and how to paddle with the paddles.. how to turn left n right, how to go straight, how to back paddle, and all the paddle signals.. then we wore our life jackets and went into the sea to test whether it was working.. we held each other's arms and went into the sea in a circle.. it was a feeling of warmth and happiness, together with the cold seawater and the nervousness.. i was beside CJ and i really felt like he was my 2nd dad.. maybe that's cuz i hvn seen my own dad for 2 yrs alr.. we went in till our feet couldn't reach the floor.. and floated for a while.. then CJ told us to dip our heads into the sea and come up to see if our life jackets really work.. after dat, we went up to shore.. with our shoes filled with sand.. then, we carried 2 kayaks to the sea.. the kayaks were really heavy, we needed like 6 ppl to carry them.. the front and back ppl would feel the weight the most.. they taught us how to get out of the kayak if we capsized and that we shud hold on to our paddles when we got out.. each of us had a try at that.. me and Alexys had to capsize purposely ourselves and when when we got onto the surface of the water, we were spitting salt water out and laughing at each other.. haha.. it was really a good experience.. after dat, we partnered up.. valtan volunteered to kayak alone cuz there was 13 ppl.. i partnered filzah.. then they taught us safety precautions n finally we went out to sea! me and filzah couldn't exactly control the boat well cuz we kept going in circles.. :) we gathered arnd at the buoy, with kimberley holding the string there.. we rafted up, holding each other boats together.. Elgene and CJ lectured us cuz some of us din follow the safety precautions.. some ppl almost crashed into a big ferry.. me n filzah were too close to the jetty etc.. they told us to reflect on our actions .. i felt really guilty and i must really apologize.. after dat, we went to hv dinner.. proper dinner! it was tofu, beansprout and beansprout soup and 1 other dish i can't rmb.. i gave all my beansprout to kimberley and valtan cuz i really hate beansprouts! but i drank the beansprout soup.. some stupid fly landed on my food and i had to throw away part of my rice! :( after dat, some ppl went to pitch tents.. i stayed back with liyana and a few others to wash the utensils.. after cleaning up, we went to hv a briefing for the next day's sea expedition.. 4 grps, Amundsen Armstrong Batutta and Cheng Ho would be in a big grp called mobile Alpha! CJ briefed everyone on medical stuff.. with his famous cat phrase: "Any questions? No questions? I ask you question!" i'll always rmb that one! after dat, other instructors briefed us and we got ready for the next day.. we had a proper bath and supper! supper was red bean soup.. heh the food on the 2nd day was really memorable.. something we eat usually everyday b4 obs suddenly became so delicious! OBS really taught us how to appreciate wad we already hv.. we finished pitching our tents in the dark (again).. and went to bed.. the ground was more comfortable so we all had a better rest..
Day 3:
we loaded out bags into a ferry to take them to our next campsite at some other island.. then we had our breakfast.. some fried noodle and milo..i noe it sounds gross but valtan me kimberley and sih im tried to shit in the toilet cuz we thot we were gg to a place with no toilets cuz they told us to pack our shovel.. (to dig holes) only valtan was successful.. haha.. we went to this big beautiful ship structure and had a briefing for our sea expedition by Batutta's instructor Samuel.. he was funny but lame.. haha.. valtan has(had) a crush on him! haha.. but he's already married so too bad val.. after dat, CJ and Elgene taught us the T-rescue.. 2 boats went out to the sea and 1 boat purposely capsizes.. the ppl in the 2nd boat had to rescue them.. so cool! at arnd 11, mobile alpha paddled out to sea! we paddled for arnd 1 hr and realise we were back at the same place.. so we had to change our route to the short cut one cuz there was too little time.. me and filzah crashed into a fish farm! filzah kept telling me to paddle harder,but my arms had muscle pain and when i paddled harder, it was so painful that i almost cried.. but i din cuz i din want ppl to see me cry.. we paddled for another 4 hrs before we reached this other island (not our campsite) with a big frog rock.. willette diyanah and liyana all had sea sickness.. willette and diyanah cried on the way and puked.. willette was shivering when she reached shore though the sun was burning us.. i felt so helpless cuz my good friend was crying and all i could do was to hold her hand and tried to transfer my warmth to her and lend her my cap.. i din noe how to console ppl.. we had our lunch there.. dry ration again.. den we set off to our 3rd campsite.. kayaking again.. dorcas must be real tired cuz she was willette's partner and cuz willette was too weak, she had to paddle 2 ppl alone.. still, she din complain.. she's a real great friend.. we finally reached our destination.. i learnt that smelling orange peels helps sea sickness.. we carried our kayaks to shore and took our bags from the boat to dry land.. Samuel told us real lame jokes there.. and we thanked our sea ex leaders for leading us to the campsite.. i feel kinda stupid cuz i thot it was CX leaders and wondered wad it stands for and finally got it when we reached the campsite.. we also finally got to pitch our tents in the light.. but it was a little hard cuz the ground was hard and the pegs couldn't get in.. there were too many rocks.. i caught up with dorcas and willette and valteo there cuz we weren't in the same grp and had lots to talk abt! the best self-cooked dinner in the whole 5 days goes to dinner at this campsite! the worst toilets goes to this campsite too.. the toilet taps had yellow water, the water used to flush was also yellow.. the taps were below our knee length so it was hard to bathe.. at this campsite, CJ actually helped us to cook! it was chicken abalone noodles and campbell soup.. i think i ate the most.. now everyone recognises me as a greedy pig.. haha.. we washed our mass tins and pots in the sea and met up with CJ and Elgene for a grp talk.. in the dark.. hah.. after dat, we went to bed! it was the first time i slept without brushing my teeth.. we slept on rocks but still i slept quite well..
Day 4:
we woke up in the morning and went for our morning circle.. we wrote our journals and the morning ritual "the morning is good!" was louder! we hugged our kayak partners.. then, we took down our tents and packed our bags for another land expedition.. my muscles were still aching.. we carried our bags and started walking.. 5 mins later, we realised we were in the wrong direction so we walked back.. we walked on and passed many ppl who gave us weird stares.. we also climbed up this hill that no other grp climbed, through the muds, mosquitoes and twigs.. i kept applying the counterpain cream cuz my neck was really hurting.. when we reached the top of the mountain, there was this fantastic view! a big turquoise lake, followed by many tall green trees and a great blue sky with white clouds! it was like those pictures on postcards! some ppl complained that we climbed the mountain for nth but i think it was worth it! it was super super cool! CJ said that climbing this mountain teaches us that to reach our goal, we just hv to pass through difficult obstacles and wad we find at the very end is something beautiful and sweet.. adam khoo told us that too, but this trip up the mountain let me really understand the statement's true meaning! we climbed down the mountain and i banged my head against the wood.. again, tears were filling my eyes but i wiped them away.. luckily i was at the back and only CJ was behind me.. nobody knew how painful it was except me.. nobody even knew i banged my head except CJ.. so we continued our journey and walked on.. CJ and Elgene saw the counterpain cream in my hands so i told them my neck was aching real bad.. they took down my bag and found out that something wasn't done correctly so they adjusted it for me and we walked on! it din really help though.. Sih Im was giving up halfway and i stayed behind with her and tried encouraging her to go on.. its the first time i tried motivating someone like dat and i felt happy when she stopped crying.. finally we saw a "OBS property, No trespassing" sign.. i was so happy! they told us it was only 1km to go.. but we walked and walked and walked but still din reach.. we only reached another sign.. i was so frustrated and my neck and shoulders felt like they were going to break.. this time, tears rolled down my cheeks.. i had no hands left to wipe them away.. i just looked down hoping my cap would cover my face and walked on.. it was more than 1km! finally we reached the gate of camp 1.. my plan to hide my face was not really successful cuz filzah saw through it.. sigh.. she went to tell Elgene and we walked together to camp 2's cook house.. everybody put down their bags and Elgene tried to console me and told me to stretch my neck.. nobody else except Elgene and Filzah and maybe CJ noticed me crying so that's good.. cuz i noe i look ugly when i cry.. it's good my eyes won't turn red.. we had lunch and rest for 1 hr plus.. the chats we had together was funny.. CJ and Elgene gave us a briefing on store cleaning and told us we wun hv to pitch tents! we went to cooked on the top of this slope, climbing arnd 90 steps (i counted but lost count).. instant noodle, campbell soup and sardines! so many insects there.. some jumped into our soup, so we had to scoop them out.. at this point, after experiencing so much, we din really care abt hygiene anymore.. we just continued to eat.. than it was souveneir buying.. i bought an OBS shirt that cost $14! it was expensive, but i really wanted to rmb OBS..then it was store cleaning.. we washed tents, ground sheets, ponchos, mass tins, pots, water bottles, jerican, bagpacks etc... CJ's a strict inspector.. hah.. we lost a set of mass tins so we had to pay for it.. at night, we bathed and i forgot to bring my shorts to change into.. so it was really gross cuz i had to wear my dirty track pants, go to my bag and take clean shorts and changing out.. we slept in the shelter, but it was hard ground.. i realised i din bring my sarong "blanket".. so i was shivering.. i was awake till 3am.. Alexys also woke up and both of us went to get the keys to our equipment store for our bags.. we took our stuff and could finally sleep..
Day 5:
We had decided the previous night that during the morning circle on day 5, we would say "the morning is brilliant!" and ask CJ stupid questions when he asks if we had any questions.. but in the end we din do the morning ritual! i was so sad! CJ took the food he confiscated and put them right in front of us! he started bowing towards it.. hahaha! so funny.. like worshipping it.. cuz we were all so tempted to take it back! Then we went to take our bags to the jetty back to camp 1.. i was really sad to leave! so many wonderful memories in camp 2..... we reached camp 1 and did our 30sec presentation.. "if you've teamwork n u noe it clap ur hands, if you're bonded n u noe it clap ur hands, if u've patience n u noe it n u really wanna show it, if u've strong arms n u noe it say armstrong! ARMSTRONG! any qtns? no qtns we ask qtns! who's the best? ARMSTRONG!" we sorta messed it up but oh wells.. Elgene asked me how my neck was 2 times.. i was so touched! i felt like hugging her but i din.. :( we did some retarded station games with our classes.. mr ang put me in charge of the class and they weren't co-operative at all! i felt so so frustrated i wanted to cry.. but somebody else did it b4 me.. i forced myself to swallow it.. finally, they showed a video clip that showed all the nice moments we had in OBS.. MY PICTURE WAS IN IT AND I DIN LOOK NICE! but anw, at that time i really felt i din cherish the times armstrong had together enough.. as i boarded the jetty to leave, i took 1 last look at pulau ubin.. it was bittersweet.. i was happy to get my bed n nice toilets back, but i was sad to leave that place.. my dramatic instructors and staying in tents with my friends.. the trees and the sea and the beaches.. the kayaks and all... when we reached singapore, CJ actually helped me carry my bag! like it was so shocking! i really felt the warmth, care and concern from my instructors as Elgene told me to rmb to exercise my neck n as i walked behind CJ as he carried my bag.. i knew i was nvr gonna see them again, and i would really really miss them..
OBS was almost like a dream.. i couldn't imagine i actually was sleeping in the wild, meeting my wonderful instructors and making new friends.. 5 days just pass too quickly.. just when we were all so close n bonded, we had to leave.. i already miss my instructors alot! OBS was a really meaningful and fun experience and i learnt alot.. teamwork, perserverence.. i found out i could do many things i din think i could do.. The instructors were really a big help to me.. they guided me, cared abt me and bonded the whole team together.. they went through the fun times, the painful times and the sad times together.. i would rmb them forever and of course, armstrong! i love u guys---CJ, Elgene, and Armstrong!!!
guess wad i did today? came home at 5.30, ate till 6.30 n slept all the way till 10.15! and im still not planning to do hw.. bcuz this sotong here can't get rid of her procrastination habits.. and besides, im still tired k.. i sleep alot.. my record was i think, 14 hrs straight.. hahaha..
chinese lesson today was plain freaky.. the tcher.. weird, eccentric.. n tessa n kim kept laughing for reasons i dun understand.. our sec 3 tchers are all a little strange.. like llama! haha.. im just writing rubbish now.. better go do chem!
walao im so freakin pissed! willette too.
GUESS WAD. I JUST GOTTEN 2 BOOKINGS IN ONE DAY! willette got 1. wth la i din even noe puffing up my pinafore is illegal can. and my socks are SO not too low.. its above my ankle! OMG i am SO SO SO SO angry! [u get the point yea?] i dun want another detention ok! why can RI legalise ankle socks but not RGS? they totally ruin my record la! sec 1 i had detention but lucky they erased it.. and i tried being guai-er u noe. they still book me!
anw, willette n i went to plaza sing to eat and complain to each other.. [and crap alot.. haha] we walked arnd for 2+hrs! went spotlight n this gross shop n just walked in practically every shop we see.. including a comic shop, even when i dun like comics.. haha.. at least we managed to get celine's present.. so pretty.. lucky willettewee accompany me otherwise i'll go crazy la! we left plaza sing at arnd 5.30 when we planned to leave at 4.. stayed at carrefour just to see johnny depp on the tv screen and did alot of retarded stuff. haha.. i think we rock.. :D
my things are being blown off my table! including kiwi's present! lucky celine's present heavier so it wun fly off... that's how strong the wind is here.. it goes on and off.. when its off i start sweating.. when its on i hv to keep standing up to pick up my stuff.. sigh. like hurricane.. duno when its coming.. just now when i tried closing my window the window slammed on my hand.. but nvm, i like the wind all the same.. :D
its the 1st weekend since sch started.. 301's still not very bonded, we're still not sitting together.. i'm so sad.. 301 has 3 new tchers.. haha.. on the 1st PE lesson we had a 'briefing' that wasn't brief at all.. valteo fell asleep can.. lucky the 1st half i was running abt cuz the GO says someone took the classlist but nobody did so it just got lost somehow.. i took the classlist in class in the end.. yes im the temp secretary.. lucky not chairperson.. haha.. its fun u noe! but i doubt anyone would vote for me after the next election after OBS.. so i shall cherish the time i hv now!
AHH OBS IS COMING! we're all gonna be dirty and unhygienic when we come back.. we dun get to bathe everyday down there! argh i dun wan! they dun even hv proper toilets! other den that n another small problem i dun wana mention, im actually looking forward to it! seems quite fun!
my theory exam coming in march! n i still duno half the stuff.. mrs foo's gonna lecture me today again cuz of all the dumb answers im giving her.. heh.. oh, i changed the songs on my blog! now all these are my favorites! im addicted ok.. hope those who actually bothered to read my blog like them too! although willette finds 'wind it up' irritating.. hehe..
IT'S 2007!
ytd i was at the vivocity countdown! the best part of it was the taking of pics with the stars! there was tay ping hui, michelle chia, julian hee, constance, jamie teo, jade seah, gurmit singh, mi lu bing, project superstar n singapore idol finalists, JJ Lin and many many more! <3
now its the new yr, i'm starting to miss the holidays.. my resolutions for the new yr:
1. learn not to procrastinate
2. do better especially in science
3. make many new friends!
4. work hard
301'07 here i come!