The Last Lecture

Finally chionged finished the book in 2days! Juz cant stop reading! N the short chapters makes it alot easier =) For those of you out there who have never heard of Randy Pausch, he's this computer science professor from Carnegie Mellon University who's got pancreatic cancer and doesnt have much time left... He then went on to give a last lecture which is superbly inspiring... Would recommend all to go watch it on YouTube and buy his book... (I can lend u oso la)

The title of his lecture was "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams", and it wasnt abt dying, but abt the importance of living your life to the fullest... There's juz so many practical bits of wisdom in the diff chapters but I'll juz focus on those which I think are the coolest! =)

"When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody's bothering to tell you anymore, that's a bad place to be. You may not want to hear it, but your critics are often the ones telling you they still love and care about you, and want to make you better."

"The brick walls are there for a reason. They're not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something."

"Don't complain, just work harder. Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier."

"Almost everybody has a good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out."

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you want."

"Show gratitude. Go out and do for others what somebody did for you."

"As I see it, a parent's job is to encourage kids to develop a joy for life and a great urge to follow their own dreams. The best we can do is to help them develop a personal set of tools for the task."

"A bad apology is worse than no apology. Proper apologies have three parts:
1. What I did was wrong.
2. I feel badly hurt.
3. How do I make this better?
Yes, some people may take advantage of you when you answer question three. But most people will be genuinely appreciative of your make-good efforts. They may tell you how to make it better in some small, easy way. And often, they'll work harder to help make things better themselves."

For more info, check out this website: http://thelastlecture.com/

Memorable Day!

B4 I even start, let me wish all the mums "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!" =) It is totally a day for remembering all tat ur mums hav done for u, all the things big and small... I reli thank God for my mum n all tat she has done! =)

This is such a cool day la! During the morning service the children performed this super cute song for Mothers! (Check it out below) Then after tat I went to eat with Jasper and Shirlena at this Dim Sum place near our church... I dont usually eat breakfast on Sunday, so to me the fd was simply fantastic, and I dont hav to pay a single cent (thanks Jasper for the treat!) One of those rare days where I dont hav to play for the worship and I'm totally enjoying and relishing every moment, esp. the time from 11am onwards (cos I'll usually be in the main hall by then) Apart from eating, I managed to gif out lots of the hillsong tix...

After service went for the Global Day Of Prayer... No offense, but I thought tat they could hav given us more time to pray together (I thought tat was the whole point) instead of singing so many songs and praying in so many diff languages at the end (I almost fell aslp, and I dont fall aslp easily, lolx) Thought tat last yr was better, at least we had more time to pray for Singapore, our churches, our National leaders etc.

After tat was the highlight of the day! We went to Fish & Co. at Suntec to celebrate Chengxin's 21st Bday... The New York Fish & Chips super nice la, with the cheesy toppings... Then the gals somehow alerted the staff tat we hav a Bday boy amongst us and apparently one of them came over... Chengxin was made to stand on this very very tall chair and given this sparkler to hold, lolx... Then the staff came out and announced to the whole world tat it was his bday and they came out with this cool cheer =) After tat he had to stand on the chair and blow out this candle tat they put on some ice cream... Quite cool huh?

So after tat we decided tat it wasnt enough and decided on a further "prank"... To cut short the whole story, Han En and Jing Hui went to buy a cake under the pretense of having a stomachache... We also got whipped cream and I helped them to "decorate" the cake... Guessed our agenda yet? Anyway it was super funny cos we lit 21 candles and by the time we traveled back to the Fountain of Wealth, there was wax all over the cake and it became a total mess! By now I suppose it shd be quite obvious tat we were planning a smashing time with him, lolx... He knew but he was sporting and used his mouth to remove the candles after he blew them out... In the end it got real messy but Si Hui finally managed to smash the cake into his face, and it topped by the whipped cream across the back of his neck and hair! We spent like 15 mins clearing up after tat, hahaz... And I think the cleaner was prob thinking y we were snatching her rice bowl, lolx... Ultra funni la, and I've nv done this b4 in my entire life! Some of the simple things that spice up our lives! =)

On Top of the World

Ice cream with candle

Happy 21st Birthday!

That is a cake I swear!

We styled and waxed the cake a little bit too much =)

It all boiled down to this...

什么都叫妈咪！

Celebration at Fish & Co.

*Btw I managed to get Randy Pausch's book on "The Last Lecture" =) Going to chiong finish it... Anyone interested can borrow the bk from me =)

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

*Coming to Singapore theatres on 16^th May 29^th May!! =)

Some updates...

Juz reached home after tuition... Super tired over the past 2 days but it was satisfying =) Ytd spent 3 hrs at Yi Yong's place then tar pow dinner over to Kailin's place and spent another 3 hrs there, lolx... 6 hours of Math!! :D Then Today was 3 plus hours at Nashirah's place and 2 hours at Ivan's place... Ultra looking forward to my unofficial break tml, though still got tuition at night...

Anyway its confirmed that we cant go to Myanmar anymore... Wad a time for the cyclone to hit! :( When I heard abt it on Sunday from Jasper and Chengxin, it was most worrying =/ Thank God tat we received news that Simon and Calvin are safe and sound... Whew! Cant go cos there's like nothing there? No water, no food, no electricity... Boos :( The cyclone reminded me once again abt how vulnerable life reli is... One natural disaster and thousands of ppl lose their lives juz like tat... All the more so we shd live for Christ every single day and not waste our time here on this temporary place called Earth... Made me reflect quite abit, and there r some ppl tat I reli wanna reach out to with the gospel... Maybe God is using the cyclone to speak to me...

On a lighter note, I JUZ RECEIVED A LETTER FROM NTU!!! :D Thought I can finally go matriculate or something but its juz SPMS (my sch) telling me which course I can be exempted from...


"The School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences is pleased to inform you that you are eligible for exemption of courses in the programme of MATHEMATICS & ECONOMICS."

Apparently I'm exempted from onli one course called "Tackling the Odds: Inside Statistics" Nothing much, but I suppose its better than being exempted from nothing, lolx...

Oh ya not forgetting tat I attended two 21st Bdays over the past weekend... Sat was Aik Joon's Bday at Downtown East Costa Sands... Had the chance to meet up with my platoon mates and get some updates... It seems that physical appearances may change but everyone's still very much the same, in terms of the way they act and behave, lolx... Too bad not everyone from the platoon could make it, but it was cool to be able to see so of them... I'll be seeing them once every yr for another 10 yrs anyway, lolx...

Sunday attended Owen's 21st at Costa Sands Resort in Sentosa... Nv been there so it was quite an interesting experience... Hung around in church until 4 plus then left so reached at abt 5 plus... Was wondering if I'd see any of my other sec sch classmates but apparently I was the onli one who was able to make it there... Saw Jeremy from the next-door class in ahs and Yu Chou hu was from 4D... We chatted awhile with some china guys (Owen's frens from some workshop) b4 proceeding to play soccer... It was quite cool... Initially I was thinking how I could try not to disgrace myself while playing but then I dismissed the thought... Does it matter? It's Owen's 21st and I'm juz out to hav some fun, even though its the first time in this yr tat I'm touching a soccer ball, lolx... Surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed being the defender (tat's the onli role I noe) on my team though we were not exactly winning... This is one of those times where I realised that some things tat u learnt in life stays with u throughout and doesnt go away, lolx... Reli had a great time defending on my team! =)

After tat we went back up to the Resort and slacked around for awhile... There were always ppl BBQ-ing at the pit and its all thanks to them tat I hav fd to eat, hahaz... Talked to this guy whom I noe to be Daniel... Apparently he was oso in 42 SAR, but I think 2 batches b4 me... Chatted abt many other stuff too... Either he's very friendly and keeps talking to me, or my PR skills have reli improved, lolx... I thank God for either, or both =) Then he told me tat he'd get back to me and it was onli then tat I realised he was the MC, and it was time to sing the bday song and cut the bday cake...

I oso managed to tok to quite a few other guys... Initiated quite a few conversations and I'm glad for the opportunity to practise my Mandarin =) Reli made quite a few new frenz, esp this guy Leonard who knew Owen for 13 yrs since P2... He's oso a badminton freak like me and hopefully we can 切磋切磋 someday, lolx... I reli see tat there are alots of opportunities to spread the gospel thru such gatherings and I do hope that God will lead me and guide me to do His will... It can be kinda exciting u noe? =)

Anyway I noe its getting random cos my thoughts are not exactly well structured in any way, but I juz wanna say tat I finally "revamped" my whole rm, lolx... Usually I juz rearrange the stuff on my table and make it neater, but now I literally packed up and made my WHOLE rm, lolx... Told myself to onli put wad I reli wanna see everyday on my table, the rest of the stuff would be hav to be placed somewhere else... Then arranged the 2 wooden cabinets I hav by putting in all my files and CDs... I realised I have tons of Mathematics tat I kept over the yrs, lolx... From Sec Sch Math to JC Math and even abit of Uni Math tat I managed to "kope" from ppl, hahaz... I think its gd too tat I have Isaiah 40:31 and Proverbs 3:5-6 prominently placed on my table where I can always see them =) Hopefully this time round my rm stays neat for a longer period of time!

*No more spare tix for Hillsong concert liao, if everything goes well, shd be able to pass u guys the tix this Sunday =)

Amazing week! =)

It has been a superbly amazing week! God is my provider! =) On Monday I was quite affected cos my Grandma was admitted into the hospital but God worked wondrously on Tuesday... First he provided another tuition opportunity after I canceled Tuesday night's tuition, which was simply amazing cos I totally didnt expect it... Then after we went down and prayed for her, my Dad juz casually mentioned tat I was going to Korea and guess wad? Both my aunts sponsored me on the spot, with a total of $300!! WOW!! Tok abt God's provision! It was simply fantastic! I was quite stunned too! =) But deep down I knew that God was working, and I reli thank Him for it!

And He didnt stop there... He went on to use me even in my tuition... Amidst all the busyness, God let me teach with joy! =) I'm actually quite excited when I face my students, cos I know that God is going to use me in some way, although I may not know how exactly... I begin to see that He has his purpose for putting me into each and every one of my students' lives... It reli seems tat everything is falling into place... And I reli learnt not to take all this for granted, to know tat there is a God whom I can trust, who never fails, and whose love is everlasting...

Anyway, last night at abt 12.30am, I received a call from Ben saying that he "reached Singapore waters liao" Sounds so cool rite? Hahaz... Thank God for bringing him safely back! Heard tat he reli exp God during his Taiwan trip and cant wait to hear from him! =) Then juz now went for prayer meeting... Watched the chinese version of "Father's love letter"... It was juz as amazing!! God's love transcends all languages amen? =P I reli see tat we hav to respond to this wonderful love that is given so freely to us... Its reli amazing tat when we fully trust in Him and cast all our cares to Him how he will intervene and provide! When we hav the right focus, everything else will juz fall into place! =) I think God made me understand abit more abt wad is said in Matthew 6:33, tat is to "Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need" (NLT) Indeed when we know God's will and submit to it by surrendering ourselves to Him, it says that He WILL provide ALL our needs... It doesnt say that He MAY, or He MIGHT, but He WILL!!! But of cos we need to play our part, and tat is to seek His will and His righteousness... Always knew this verse but personally experiencing it gives it a whole new perspective! =) I shall continue to seek Him daily and be assured that my future is already in His hands!

*Btw ppl I can onli pass u guys the tix on the 18th, cos wont be around on the 11th...