Time has a strange way of getting around without us knowing it.

Autumn, 2009 now.

School still deluges us as usual. It feels like a load off my back now that I've stepped down. A female manager sure makes things different. The block now has a feminine atmosphere to it. Even the noticeboards bloom flowers and glitter. Well, it's no longer my concern. No longer my time to patrol the block, to tend to every lost resident, to look up at the block banner with a glow of satisfaction. It's strange how things get back to normal. An intricate feel of normalcy. The memories stay as memories, fleeting and ephemeral as they always have been. We simply wrap ourselves around our given roles in society, like flower buds around stalks. And a flower only lasts as long as its petals open.

I am trying out new things. Special Events Director of FastForward Society gets me writing proposals and liaising with the corporate world. Being FOC chair also had me planning an amazing race event with Renling for a corporate client. And it's strange how these working executives appear: Poised, calm, capable... yet inflexible, single-minded, dull. Experience does a strange deal of numbing down our minds. We think knowledge empowers us, that our experiences has strengthened us, bringing out our potential, fulfilling our capacities.

I don't know if i'll ever fall into this complacency trap. I can only hope to retain a modicum of wisdom as i grow older. Because, truly, the more i learn, the less i know. I feel an immense sense of humility and gratitude towards life. Towards my friends. Towards knowledge. Yet it's all too easy to take it all for granted, to get cynical, to fall into disillusionment.

There's a season for everything, even for pain, sorrow, misery. Life changes, towards death, rebirth, and new life. We have to tread it step by step, observing the harmony of things, feeling as we should be, living as we must.

That's my idea of life.

Meanwhile, I'm still an individual in society, doing tutorials and labs, playing sports and games, holding meetings and discussions. Sometimes the mundaneness of it all gets to me.

And sometimes it doesn't.

Riding on Maran's bike (without a helmet) alongside Jing Yi (on a bicycle) along the twilight roads lined with rustic dim orange streetlamps.. the feel of exhilaration and fulfillment of being with your true friends...

This is a memory i'll cherish forever.

A lesson from history

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out-
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out-
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out-
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me-
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
- Martin Niemoeller, 1946

Some of the international students in my block held a party tonight! Ralf and Julian forked out their own money, time and effort to create the event complete with music and speakers from Cafe Del Mar, as well as drinks and our local bartender Mohan to boot(he mixes some pretty good cocktails!). I just had a couple of drinks and showed face here and there. Helped out a friendly, drunk girl from America named Nancy to get to the toilet. (Later on i saw her being mobbed by guys...uh oh. But she just gave them her number) The atmosphere was definitely there, despite our tame hall environment in 54 haha. They made their preparations pretty well, covering up the painted walls and furniture. Kinda lucky that not that many people came down (or the lounge would definitely be ruined)

But i bet the international students were having a blast! It was very, very interesting to see how, er, openminded they were. Heard noises from a couple in the toilet (squeezed into a cubicle).. haha. Everyone there's a consenting adult, right? There were quite a few instant-made couples who went off to unsuspecting places. I just hope no one's taken advantage of. Anyway, i'm still glad to be a shy, conservative guy.

Yay to diversity.

Today...

8.45 a.m.
9.22 a.m.
11.36 a.m.
12.31 p.m.
2.00 p.m.
2.43 p.m.
4.25 p.m.
6.32 p.m.
7.53 p.m.
9.20 p.m.
10.05 p.m.
11.46 p.m.
1.30 a.m.
1.58 a.m.

Happy times.

Thank you, my dear friends.

Hey. Just came back from Hall Freshman Orientation Camp! It was quite an unexpectedly enjoyable experience. After all, i've never been the extroverted, funloving kinda person. But i really liked my T orientation group, somehow. The seniors Raghu, Eugene and Zuhui were nice and supportive, and the freshies were the most enthusiastic batch in 3 years! Glad i was able to mix well with them. It reminds me of last year's camp. I felt comfortable with these people in hall. So comfortable, that i'd want to run for block manager and let everyone have the same kind of feeling. The feeling of being at home.

Still, it was an exhausting period through and through. From the first day, i started helping the logistics team to carry all the supplies to the lorries. Then i helped out as a station master with honey. It was dreary, cuz the ogs took so long to get to our station. We waited for 3 hours without doing anything! We spent the hours just chatting and playing.. After that we had a briefing and video session for the freshies. Hope they enjoyed the jcrc video i made with jovina haha. Then SP interaction was absolut fun. I went about listening and disturbing the random couples around. Our og's guys mostly had great conversations. Looks like i'm the only one with a bad experience.

The next day was spent at Sentosa. I tagged along as a senior, helping the programmers sometimes. The games were quite fun i thought! Haha i planned one of the games. Our Theron freshies were crazy enthu, cheering loudly all the time! Everyone was so surprised when we lost each game. It always felt like we were winning, cuz our morale was so high. But we had alot of fun, dunking or taopoking seniors haha. I got dunked in water and my hp got damaged :( But it was a cheap one so i'm ok.

It's been a while, eh.

What went past?

Reservist with 290SA, now that was a blast. A very cozy reunion with the good ol' platoon mates, lots of fun and laughter. We definitely have a great mix of characters to keep things interesting. Outfield was, well, outfield. Anyway, reservists really have it good. Doesn't make sense to defer and split from the gang.

We're a team.

What else? I'm a full-fledged insurance agent now. Jinghang just closed one deal herself haha. Not sure i can hit the minimum quota to not get fired.

And i fell ill.