Another presentable week

Music: Jet-Look at What you've Done

I like songs like this because they yield tunes of lovely bittersweetness. Its made all the more lovely against a backdrop of happiness.

This is going to be another long read.

Tuesday saw me having dinner with Mr Hanxiang and Weiqi as usual after peer counseling. Was a good day because she managed to make me laugh, and females rarely make me laugh. As in really laugh out loud. Wasn’t in her intentions though. She just said “heng I never lugi” [we were talking about the caps on pearls points] and I thought it was really funny and laughed consequently. And laughed and laughed.

They had a little clash after, and it would be the first time I witnessed a girl being pissed. Think she said the f word several times. Think very cute. I shouldn’t say what they said but it had something to do with her sexuality. It was somewhat interesting, not totally because of the content, but also because we’re all peer counselors—and so we’d be somewhat more intuitive of what the other party is driving the conversation to, and counter react and have pre-emptive strikes and so on. Actually wait, I doubt if that would have anything to do with our cca because we basically learn nothing in our peer counseling sessions. I think it’s got more to do with our respective characters. I particularly like the one sentence

“Stop trying to redeem yourself”. Extremely intuitive when Mr Hanxiang tried to regain some good faith.

Anyway I had taken out my little notebook and I think she said don’t care about him. Lol.

Somehow, one way or the other, this sentence appeared: “We’re the isolated ones in our class”, and the dispute tapered off. It strikes me that Im not the only one in all this solitude thing. In fact amongst the people I know, and frequently hang out with these days, it’s the fashion.

Anyway, Hanxiang and I talked on the phone later on in the night, and we both got very amused by that sentence, “Stop trying to redeem yourself”. It comes as a bit of an irony that us peer counselors, or rather, the three of us, have problems of our own. Relationship problems, studies problems, but I think I’ve got the worst problems of them all.

Fire drills used to be fairly fun things in the past. Don’t know why it isn’t so in college.

Skipped econs tutorial on Thursday, met up with Nicholas who had skipped lit tutorial too. Its nice chit-chatting with people who understand you, or at least appear to understand you. We discussed, amongst many irrelevant things, about the crowd. Come to think of it, one has got to accept the existence of the crowd, or even come to appreciate it, for individualism and uniqueness and creativity to exist. Why isit that individuals view crowds with disdain then? He said the orientation programme in YJ was tough, and it’s hardship which bonds. Compare. He said something about fragmentized social circles, and I couldn’t have agreed more. The very fact that we bother skipping tutorials goes to show how much our tutors care for us, and us for the tutors, and us for the class, and the class for us, and all our relationships.

It strikes me that people like us often complain and do nothing. That’s because nothing can be done. Theres nothing to be done but complain. To be fair, its not totally doing nothing, but it was felt that nothing further could be done to effect substantial changes, so the best way out is to accept things and complain. It takes away the pain this way. Nah, it just numbs it.

In minute news, I lost my group project file. I got more amused at my own *blur-ness* than worried for my group. Called the pw tutor up, think she got more flustered than me. I found it, just after I’ve called her up, lying somewhere in the living room. I guess you can say it’s the ultimate form of *blur-ness*, not simply losing it but thinking you lost it when its right there. So I msged her, telling her I just found the file. Don’t think she’ll get as amused as me. I always get amused with myself. By the way don’t be surprised if I tell you I can and do get worse than merely losing a project file—if I can recall the incidents that is.

CCA farewell party happened on Thursday. They ordered pizzas. One of the don’t-know-who (and don’t really bother knowing who) told me to bring 8.50 and I got really !@#$% over that. $8.50! I psyched myself up before the meal, telling myself I had to grab at least 8 pieces to reduce average costs to around a dollar. Out of the many people I know, only one person possesses that kind of mindset as me. And that’s Mr JJ. In fact he’s the only person who exceeds me in appetite [but never speed! Haha]. Still remember that time we went to that what Mongol Khan BBQ restaurant for Joel’s birthday. I ate till I very nearly vomited because the buffet cost $40, and he was still down there eating. Heh. Remember that little, inexpensive dinner we had in some chi restaurant too, the one I had in sch uniform, if you remember. It was some pretty face-off between us, where we took the food off the plates in free-for-all style, while trying to look as non-greedy as possible. We should have more face-offs between us, if you get what I mean.

Turned up only exco members have to pay after all, but that still didn’t stop me from grabbing 3 pieces (would’ve taken a lot more if they hadn’t finished everything by the time I finished my third piece; everyone else got two), and setting up an oligopoly over a packet of chips in retaliation. Anyone not involved in the oligopoly would have met a very resilient barrier to entry.

It reminded me of the dinner I had with the nj female. Had taken three of her eight slices of pizza. She had an extremely breakable barrier to entry. In fact my eating skills were so refined I had finished my plate of spaghetti just when she was starting on her second slice. Oh, I was very hungry then. And Im still hungry now.


For some reason or the other, just as in the previous week, this week saw me being fully occupied for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

I got myself into a discussion room with my chi class on Friday. Somehow, I feel closer to my Chinese class than with my own ct. It was one of those few times where I felt like painting the whole scene. It was the perfect picture of a class, all seated along some connected tables. A girl slept on techno music. A guy read the papers. Some doing hw. Some talking. Its just so…peaceful. They had arranged for a BBQ that very evening. Sheesh. They were complaining about how some people in their class were unco operative when it came to planning the BBQ. At least they have one damnit.

Mr Hanxiang called me up on Friday, after my last lesson at 4 10. He had just finished his pw discussion which lasted two hours—wish I could have such enthusiastic people around. He called me up, and I suggested we head down to the nearby coffeeshop for a chat, and for some cake and coffee.

I am a fan of spontaneity. I love events which pop out of nowhere. They tend to be more enjoyable than pre-planned outings. I got myself a cup of coffee, treated him to some iced tea since he had treated me a meal or two some time(s) back, got myself a butter cake, and sat down to talk. This is, btw, not the first time I got down to the coffeeshop near the sch for some high tea after school (but this is the first time with him), nor would it be the last 50 times.

Friday evenings are the perfect times for that. You’ve got the whole long week behind you, and theres really nothing much like winding down at a coffeeshop. The evening sun is always beautiful at that time, it bathes the coffeeshop in golden light, very soft golden light. And then you lean back on the chair, your coffee in front of you, your friend leaning backwards too, his tea in front of him. But you don’t drink. You first soak in the warm light. And then you start talking.

We talked much. Some harmless chit-chat, some offensive. Theres always a tendency to voice out displeasures in a coffeeshop, esp with the whole week behind you. Its almost as if you’re purging yourself for the weekend ahead. One cant enjoy when one has so much negativities within you no?

He told me he had purposely skipped morning classes for the past two days just to have breakfast outside. I like that.. Who cares about school. We don’t. I’d prefer skipping an hour or two of morning classes just to have some nice toast and coffee with a friend outside. We made a pact to arrange for such morning outings in due time.

He swerved clear of his pw mates (all 3 females) when we went back to school. Good influence.

I met JJ and Joel for dinner later on in the evening. Been long since I saw them.

Was late for 15 mins as usual, met JJ, he told me he was quite full because he had dinner with a ACJC female earlier on. It’s a beautiful parallel isn’t it. We had arranged for dinner—but we had eaten beforehand, he with that female and me with hanxiang as mentioned above. I love parallels like this.

But anyway, him being him, and me being me, and both of us living up to ourselves, we did have dinner. No “face-off” this time because it was our second dinner for the night, even people like us have limits to how much we can consume.

What is perhaps unique of our tripartite relationship is that the three of us are in three different educational institutions. JJ is an undergraduate, Joel’s a polytechnic student, Im in junior college. It was rather interesting comparing all three models together. And well, I kind of sympathize with Joel’s situation. He’s taking nautical studies, apparently his interest, but he needs a company to sponsor him soon or the poly would kick him out. Just like that. I saw his resume. I saw his request letter for sponsorship, of which he had sent out 150 copies to 150 shipping companies. Really impressive stuff, I really admire him for coming up with such a beautiful resume and formal letter template, and for actually checking up on all 150 companies. Now I know how he spends his weekends eh. Really, really hope a company would actually take notice of his letter and agree to sponsor him, with the attendant bonds of course. Especially when he’s spent 700 dollars on his uniform already (no choice, he said, the orders were placed in such a rude time). Especially when rejection from all 150 means a rejection of his spirits, and an ejection from his course. He’ll have to start a new course all over again. Shrugs. Have faith, have faith.

JJ’s undergraduate economics and maths, two modules in his business admin course, seem to be college stuffs. There definitely is some real large overlaps. Apparently he learns some contemporary history for his course too. Cant say much bout Joel’s texts. They seem complex enough, with all the trigo and bearings and everything, not to mention memorizing all those rules and regulations in the seas.

Well whatever it is, college curriculum is somewhat tougher. Theres lesser depth but more range, not to mention having to battle with gp and Chinese and pw and everything else. But all in all, I don’t see much difference between the three models, in terms of time spent studying etc.

The three of us got down to gelare at PS after dinner, at around 10. Saw YT down there, bought some ice lemon tea which cost $2.90 and immediately regretted. Friday evenings and/or nights, btw, should never ever be spared. Always seize the opportunity to hang out at those times because its ostensibly the best times to hang out in. Nothing much like chilling out right after a long week. Indeed, I always try my best to fill up Fridays.

Thinking back now, its actually quite amazing to note that we spent 4 hours just sitting around chatting. Maybe we should try swimming next time, been a long long time since I went swimming with friends.

Went down to Singapore Poly with Wenzhi on Saturday, for some chess briefing. The place is big, we were late, and we found a turtle there. More importantly, the food is !@#$%..........$2!@#$%..........$2 of bah chor mee there = one big, ban mien bowl—filled to the BRIM with the noodles. My god. They have life good man.

Its nice having a companion worthy of being a knight with you in unknown territory. Its always nice penetrating behind enemy lines with one or two trustworthy elite partners. You feel very secure.

Ok coincidences. Saw Geraldine Ang and Jerry down at dover mrt, they were doing flag day. Oh speaking of which, didn’t see tan caiwen for the whole of the week. For the first time in seven months, a full schooling week went past without me bumping into her. That would be something significant if there had been any meaning to our uh connection, but I guess its still worthy of note nonetheless. Thought it could’ve went on for two whole years but seven months is a long time come to think of it. Ok the next level is to not see both of em for a week. And then not seeing my female classmates for a week. Don’t see how that’s impossible when weeks can pass without me bumping into myself. Maybe when I don’t see all of them I would start seeing myself.

And then I saw Roy, a VS junior on my way home. Told him “I didn’t join band”, and he said “Would be surprised if you did”.

Went home, but that wouldn’t be the end of my Saturday. Went out at 3 for a $40 matinee, A Woman in Black. Hah, fancy spending $40 on a 2 hour play. It was worth it though, its an extremely fine play. Wonder how many teenagers actually get down to appreciating this so-termed arts. Oh well, its their loss isn’t it. Anyway I might be inviting some of you to catching some more plays because a friend of mine has certain discreet connections. Yea $40 was the discounted price.

Saw YT for the second time in the weekend on my way there.

I swear theres some affair between me and coincidences. First YT, then Geraldine and Jerry, and then my junior Roy, and then YT again. All in the space of 2 days. Its really incredible, if you go think about the sheer probability of meeting at that exact time and place when the a slight change of seconds could alter everything. What strikes me most is the fact that such strings of coincidences, besides somehow always appearing in strings, are perpetually present in my life.

Sunday was occupied too. Got down to toa payoh gardens with my history project mates at 3. What can I say, it was a beautifully peaceful event. Practiced our play on Hitler under a strong sun, all the way to the evening sun, on the oak table in the garden. Very good company, friendly bunch of people, and they aren’t from my class. In fact it was such a pleasurable event, and the garden was so lovely in the evening sun, that we took a photo together.

To quote from myself, this is how life should be like shouldn’t it, packed, flowing, full of surprises. I love weekends like this.