A Golfer's Blog.. Hmm..

Words are not all i have.

2010-09-06T15:51:00.001+08:00

Silence is golden.

:)

2010-07-19T23:10:00.003+08:00

Currently, i am taking up a role in new projects coming up for my job, it will get intensive and this is something i am eager about since school has ended in Feb. Initially, i had a dilemma of whether to head out and get exposure or to stay put but, i have thoughts otherwise.

You get exposure, that is for sure when you head out to work and i ask myself this, how much exposure can a company or organisation give to me when they see me as a temp who is sure to go off in a few months time because of NS. They will probably hesitate to choose to involve me in their main operations for fear of implications in performance and/or getting well acquainted with sensitive corporate information.

Perhaps i may get a company out there who will put me on for the money and allow me to get well exposed and prove to them on a favourable basis. At my age, i think equity is a matter of low importance in relative to the value of exposure, no point in having so much exposure but all capped at a low value. Then again, there are not that many companies out there of whom i think will get someone like me directly involved in their main discussions or decision making procedures.

Well, it goes on and on and in the future, i have got to start from somewhere which is why all the more, having a strong education background is an increasing emphasis if you want to be in prime position on the corporate ladder. People look up to you for ideas and get you involved in main proposals, they want to listen to you more than ever. I believe when the going gets realistic, demanding more from within is necessary as the realistic world is not perfect and it's either you've got it or you don't, simple as that. Cheers!

Simon

I think titles are useless, content is the interest of your eyes

2010-07-14T21:12:00.002+08:00

It has been quite a long while i guess since i last did something to this blog of mine. Before the thought of writing this post, i kept myself in my school of thoughts with no intentions of sharing but, it doesn't matter anymore i guess.

During this period of hiatus from the stressful environment i am normally accustomed to, i have gave thoughts on certain parts of the past.

Poly life - It has been a long journey but one filled with memories i can share with my loved ones in time to come. At the beginning of that journey, i never once did place focus on studying hard and doing well, lectures and tutorials were a bore to me, all i knew was golf on the weekends and that's it. Director's Honours List? Ha. I don't even know that existed until some of my peers won it. Studies never seem to be important in the initial stages of poly life and i just kept telling myself that since i chose this road as compared to JC, i have the right to do things at my own pace and take things easy.
It took me time to realise that many of my peers are critical of their work and they are seriously working hard and gunning for academic awards. I knew if i didn't step up a gear, two gears or even three gears, i am just going to settle myself lower in the "food chain" of society. Therefore, i worked doubly hard and in particular, i made sure that every tutorial is done properly even if it meant staying up to 3 in the morning which i did several times before. Self-awareness reminded me that there were many expectations of that from people who cared about me, mentored me and had faith in me.
At the end of the day, i did my best and i believe i have nothing to regret well except that during projects, i admit myself to be selfish on the sharing of certain information relating to project components which i really did intend to help but, often so, i am in a difficult position where i cannot afford to compromise the performance of my project group. I apologise to any of my friends who were wondering why i did not share some information with them.
Honestly speaking, i will not turn down friends who ask me for help but i guess during the heat of the moment in projects, i tend to drift from my personality into a Type A mould and only think of competing and winning the race. This is perhaps one of the things without doubt i regret in poly life. Sorry to anyone of whom i have disappointed in my unknowing selfish act at that point in time.

Golf- It's not good at the moment, that i can assure anyone. I just lack that added drive i need to push myself to play good golf. After losing a coach, it has been a difficult task to get everything on track, training has been very irregular or perhaps "occasionally". Nowadays, i play on weekends with practically no aim, i just play golf and that is it. I just hope that an inspiration will come along in some form or another and wake me up, my golf is experiencing retardation at a decreasing rate (with help of occasional range practice). Since young, i always said i want to be a professional golfer someday but at this rate, i will only go further away from that professional dream. Well, i shall stay determined and push up on my training frequency to get something going, i never believe in giving up at such a young age. Youth is my capital and i am not going to waste it.

Haha.. and lastly, the thing about relationship is one that strikes me every day of my life. Relationship is not my forte and it so happens to be my "Achilles Heel" because i am probably shy-natured and rarely have the chance to open up. I find it hard to follow nature's course where i seem to be stalling on that course. When the right one is going to come? I have no idea and the more i am eager to know and find out, i only realise it will not get me to a fruitful outcome as i have previously experienced in the recent past. Many people always talk about not giving up the forest because of a tree but sometimes, i feel the forest is so huge that i am afraid of being lost in it thus, not willing to venture deeper. That's all for this post.

Simon

An Update

2010-03-13T10:30:00.002+08:00

Just returned from a golf trip in Hainan, China. The weather was freezing cold and i suffered diarrhoea as a result of seafood being probably unfresh or perhaps i'm just not used to the local food there. Other than that, the golf there was terrific, courses were in immaculate condition but, the weather just made it a bit difficult with strong breeze coming down from the northern part of China. I've uploaded pictures of the trip on facebook, easier to keep track of photos taken on golf trips.

I'll be heading off to Taiwan later part of this month, going to meet my cousins from Taiwan and enjoy the local food there. After which, it will be a boring first half of April where i will have to either get myself a part-time job or stone myself at home reading books/watching tele. Later half of April, i will be off to Spring City in Kunming, China for another golf trip and just take a good stroll around the courses there, it's in the mountains so i suppose it will be refreshing for any golfer.

Once i return, i will be heading off to Alaska, US with my mom to visit my cousin there and i'd be sure to snap pics of the Alaskan Wilderness, i am certain that it'll be fun and interesting to visit Alaska except for the freezing temperature there. Anyway, it's been an interesting holiday so far and i hope everyone else is having a good time. Till then.

Simon

27th Feb 2010

2010-02-27T23:41:00.003+08:00

It's been a hectic semester for everyone but a rewarding 3 years at the end of the day. Friends made, experience gained and memories for life. Well, one thing is clear, the future lies ahead of everyone of us and i believe that it will not be easy with all the competition around. Frankly, i never imagined myself in a polytechnic, i really was determined to make my way to CJC after my "O"s but somehow i was convinced by the fact that poly education is one that is holistic and purposeful, strengthening your intellectual as well as to be ready to contribute. All i have to say is that, I'm glad i made the right choice because the entire journey was so fruitful for me.

Currently, i have to await for my enlistment into National Service somewhere in July and this leaves me with ample amount of time to do many things which i really did not have the chance to do so during my time in polytechnic. One of my main objective during this period is to give, helping the unfortunates or the needy, be it intellectually or physically, i am prepared to give back to society. This will give me a chance as well to re-evaluate my surroundings and ask myself if i am really doing enough in terms of attitude and perception. As the saying goes, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give". This is something that i shall stay true in the coming months and do something different that is of value to others.

Since this is a long period before i get enlisted, i will be traveling overseas to several countries in the coming months for either golf or leisure purposes and will post pictures of the trips when i am back from any one of them. In the meantime, it will either be the golf course or fitness centre until i get a part time job? which i do not have half an idea what kind of job to look for?

Till then,
Simon Neo

Hello once again!

2010-02-14T00:50:00.005+08:00

Happy Chinese New Year to all! Best wishes for a happy and prosperous lunar new year!
It's been a long while since i had the chance to sit down and really have the chance to update this blog of mine.. Well, its time to clear the cob-webs and wipe the dust off..

Currently, I have "unofficially" finished my poly education well EXCEPT for the upcoming exams.. :X It's such a dilemma for perhaps everyone when you have chinese new year to celebrate and at the same time, your notes to entertain.. it's definitely a challenge to stay focused and getting this final lap done, well let's just say, nothing is impossible, shall we?

It's been a long and fruitful 3 years in Temasek Polytechnic, the thing i'd cherish the most will be the many friends i have made in this journey, friends who always brightens your day even though it may seem gloomy at times. Well, I am sure everyone will stay connected as time goes by through social networking tools.. Its tough to bid farewell to everyone.. it's rather sad though, probably reminding me of a classical song "Con te partirò" sung by Andrea Bocelli... haha.. The memories will live within us always and though the journey at TP has ended, friendships will go way beyond the end!

Somehow i thought i was too overly philosophical on my blog posts in the past and this is one thing i will change in my blog in the future; being more current and more active in what i post. Haha.. no more life is bla bla bla anymore.. time to move on to something fresher and much youthful.. Cheers to all! =)

Here's a couple of pics from the last week in school.. (Borrowed Pics) haha..

Good buddies around in

Class Picture - Guys only

Group picture - Thanks guys for all the hard work put in!!

POE Presentation - 6-Key Vegetables! Huat arh!!!

Good friends made in TP - Jerald, Ben, Denyse

Picture taken with my finance (BusFin & SAPM) tutor for 2 sems - Mr. Phua Teck Chong

Photo taken with Uncle Benny..

And not forgetting, class photo - everyone in it!!

It's been a long and arduous journey so far everyone, let's all work hard and finish the final lap!!! All the best to everyone for the upcoming examinations!!! Till then.. =)

Best Regards,
Simon Neo

It's Time..

2009-12-03T20:14:00.002+08:00

As everything crashes into your life at an alarming pace, it disturbs that pace of life you live and you wonder if it is really necessary to let things do so.

In the transition of phases between student and worker, it opened up an even broader way of looking at the way priorities should be identified and organised. As an individual opens up himself to allow for better engagement and interaction, he will realise or probably start to feel that his protective mechanisms are shut down where people starts to understand him. On the other hand, the voice from within will question if it was the right way to go.

Sometimes, i really do wonder if i have a good and mature understanding of my priorities and the way to organise these priorities in the best possible way. When many different areas of my life starts to progress forward, it does not feel easy to keep up with the movement and ensuring that it's heading the right direction as i want it to be.

On a personal note, the semester has just begun and i will ensure that i stay focussed and commited to all tasks and assignments, leaving all other distractions behind and reminding myself of my duties and responsibilties as a student and son, not letting down people who put much faith and trust in the progress of my life.

Wise

2009-10-18T12:01:00.003+08:00

Regrets are for individuals who never seem to value time or opportunities around them, Boredom stems out from a person who refuse to take their own initiative in seeking opportunities and having fun with them..

A person with boredom and regrets will live in a world of their own and entertain themselves on how they should've salvaged those regrets and how they could've lived differently..
Whenever i think of the above, I'd always make sure I do not live with regrets, appreciating what's given to me and seeking new ways to overcome challenges in my growing & maturing phase, confidently and wisely..

There are just some things that really challenges me and stretches my thought process but, i believe that a time will come with certain decisions or commitments being made on my part, this is all in the process of embracing your position and moving forward..

考验时期到了!

2009-09-18T23:00:00.002+08:00

现在，我在一间会计事务所，实习当会计师。这是一个冲满机会的时候来学习新的知识，也许能对我的未来打算有一点帮助或许能使我变得对事业的某一个方面会比较了解和成熟一点。每天从星期一至五，早上八点半到傍晚六点正，是满令我感到疲倦的。。但是，我想着又想，如果我连这一点苦都承受不了，要怎么在未来养家呢? 如果我现在不学习怎么吃苦耐劳，到时候会有一点太晚了吧。。
A timely holiday to decompress and adjust to working life, it's not easy but it's definitely within reasonable range of control..

梁维成
二零零九年九月十八号

假期了...

2009-09-03T22:44:00.001+08:00

随然已经在休息中，但是还是觉得有一点闷。。最近发现，生活里头有很多能令人开
心或是能令人伤心的事可是，我认为如果一个人能专心的望向着做自己喜爱的事，
跟自己喜欢的人在一起，再多的伤心或是压力都会被忘掉的，问题是有没有机会或
是足够的时间寻找自己缺乏的一些因素呢? 这方面可令我头痛呀!

梁维成
二零零九年九月三号

a simple post

2009-08-29T14:34:00.002+08:00

A chapter has been closed. Time to begin a new chapter and look forward to it.
Examinations should be a thing of the past, an individual should never be rated based on paper performance. If you are smart on paper but stupid in reality, you are as good as screwed.
I am looking forward to a fresh new challenge ahead, pitting my skills in the "dog-eat-dog" world and show them what i've got, i think that's about it..

Simon

Examinations :)

2009-08-13T19:25:00.002+08:00

Time to re-discover the excitement of examinations, its not easy but its interesting to do so...
It's time to get started, gentlemen, start your engines!
Here's wishing everyone all the best for the coming examinations!

Cost of Success

2009-08-05T19:22:00.002+08:00

what is the cost of success? money? time? friends?
In times like this where its near the exams, you can start to measure your cost of success,
If its too low, you better start planning for your future..
If its too high, try not be too technical with your studies, spend some time with either your family or friends..
Everyone will have their own cost of success, some may be high while some may be low, try to keep it within a moderate range to reach success effectively and you will also not have much to lose..

The past week or so has been good, Kelly Services attachment programme has finished on a good note for myself and hopefully for my group members.. now its the road to examinations where everything is just getting heated up.. SHOWTIME!

What's Happening?

2009-07-22T03:00:00.003+08:00

The time i type these words marks the sort of lifestyle, i as a student, am forced to accept..
Dozing off in the early part of the night due to fatigue and waking up in the wee hours of the next day.. This is what we, as students have to face, the impact of projects and accumulated stress from other academic aspects is unavoidable..
Everything seems to revolve so quickly, informal communication is kept to a minimal whereas formal business communication is at a high. In such times, it is easy to identify whether you are a person who is sure and confident of his work; knowing what you are doing without having to overly rely on assistance for formal guidance.

Projects are ever difficult but necessary for academic performance, as i always said, projects should develop independent learning and marks should not be involved in them, to encourage confidence among students to venture into the unknown and learn from mistakes.

I always imagined myself playing golf and the flag stick goes missing, will there be any motivation to hit the putting surface? I am sure with no flag stick around, it will be so much easier to hit the green, and i will try different kinds of shots to get on the green.

Likewise for projects, the grades forces us to work in one direction, specified by the guidelines, and we follow them closely to score well but if we are always tied to guidelines and grades, we can never have the guts to explore and learn other methods to achieve the project outcome which is a pity.. We have to be encouraged to explore and fail if we must, in order to learn what must be learnt and remember what needs to be remembered which are all essential for success..

in the mind of a golfer..

2009-07-06T22:34:00.003+08:00

For the first time, i feel odd in my life, my perseverance in school work is paying off for me, i am very satisfied with how i did in my mid-sem tests but there are just some things troubling my mind at the moment..

I have always told myself during the long holidays that this semester will be tough and it will be one heck of a test, i have to say that facing the idea of having to endure long hours in school, depriving yourself of sleep and the natural isolation of yourself from your friends for work is an ugly reality of the current world, the disturbing pace of how things revolves around me is at times driving me mad, this is definitely one grueling and demanding test where the outcome is uncertain, making this even all the more weird..

I really question the true purpose of putting so much at stake for good grades, spending less time with your family & friends, having fewer opportunities to play golf, feeling practically 'dead' in your life with work being what you interact with every day, so boring and mundane for the life of an 18 year old.. Are these really all worth it for those few alphabets on your grades slip? What do you think? My take is that the imbalance of a student's life is unacceptable but then again, theres nothing me and you can do about this, every individual is forced to live up to their own expectations that are inflated by the competitive environment around us.. Gosh!

Good night my readers!

Simon

Succeeding in failures..

2009-06-30T21:54:00.002+08:00

I laugh at the ups and downs sometimes you have to face in your everyday life.
We are humans and of course, we want everything to be favourable to us, everything to be perfect for ourselves..

You want something, time will only tell you that it is either a simple journey to get there or its a journey filled with adversity and a sense of repulsion between you and your favoured outcome..
Never expect success to come towards your way all the time, for where there's success, there's failure and if there is no such balance between a good share of success and failure, the world will be in a chaos..

All the old cliche phrases such as 'failure is a step to success' sounds old and turns people down but in fact, all such phrases are there to tell you one thing, failure can come as easily as success..

You are a success as long as you can stand firm on both your feet and believe in yourself, that you are not born to fail but born to succeed in learning how to overcome failures along the road to your dream destination in life.. You have the power to believe, and the power to give up, so its all down to you to define yourself..

Catching my thoughts..

2009-06-25T23:56:00.002+08:00

I am starting to always feel unsatisfied with what i have, this is definitely not due to stress or work-related syndromes..
I want to learn how to be satisfied with life but, i really have no idea how to get there, its the constant worry from within that i will regret at the end of the day where i have missed all the opportunities to be better in my life, overlooking all the things around me which i feel will become the biggest regret..
The road to that is rather quiet and unassuming, i definitely need help to be on the right road but, i am starting to feel that the compass is starting to lose its needle amidst all the uncertainties around..
Well, i believe i will stay strong and let my heart be the compass in my life..

Projects, Game on!

2009-06-23T23:00:00.005+08:00

The past few days had me pretty worn out, the projects are creeping all over me and the total count of projects can really give you the jitters and make you worry about meeting the submission deadlines.
I find this quite amusing, this morning i was having breakfast at the usual prawn noodles stall i patronise on a daily basis. While the stall owner was preparing my prawn noodles, his assistant (his wife) kept telling me ''boy ah, don't be stressed, school is like that, don't think or worry too much!'' and it got me laughing from within because i did not utter a word about my school work and she kept telling me not to get stressed..
Afterward, the stall owner came to me while i was enjoying the prawn noodles, he said this to me ''boy, don't worry too much, as long as you have tried your best, don't think too much already, don't stress yourself!''.. It just occurred to me at that moment, whether i have a stress signal emitting from me or they can read my mind? Haha.. i suppose i might be looking stressed up and they were nice to give me sound advice to alleviate my thoughts..
I really have no idea how i look from the outside, some people just kept telling me that i look stressed up and serious but in fact, i am not on the inside, my mind is just a sponge absorbing all the happenings around me, nothing heavy on my mind..
Even my FA lecturer asked me today why did i look so tired, it further intrigued me, because i am not feeling tired on the inside but maybe my expressions are different on the outside and it can mislead people to having a different perception on me..
Perhaps, i need to get some physical rest to fight the workload.. I need to play Golf, Laugh and Sleep.. This is what i am lacking right now..

PROJECTS

2009-06-12T22:01:00.005+08:00

I am absolutely sure that everyone is busy with their projects, i have quite a number to handle as well, all from human resource and finance..

The main drive of a project group's efforts will have to be the grades which forms a good part of your overall grades.. I think students work very hard at projects only for the grades and not for the enjoyment of applying acquired knowledge onto scenarios which is a joy of learning in school.. I certainly feel that projects are definitely important to prepare us, young adults for the working world, picking up skills for time management and human relations to work as an effective group.

If you were to look at it from a different perspective, i can say that projects being a sizeable portion of your grades is more of a burden than a joy to have.. Yes, projects can teach us all the vital skills to survive in the working world but the amount of work and stress that students apply onto themselves are just not the way things should be.. Especially in the modern world, learning should be a fun process where students apply their knowledge freely in many forms without fear.. But the fear of jeopardising grades due to projects, have students pushing themselves very hard in mental terms to do the projects thus, many will start to dread learning..

I feel that projects should be a smaller component of grades to just give us a feel of how to function as an effective work group in society and not the other way round where we get overwhelmed by the stress and demands placed on ourselves, forcing students to learn how to overcome such issues in order to attain good grades, and not getting a peek at the requirements to function well in an organisation and slowly adapting themselves to the future environment..

I believe that grades should not be used to a large extent as a tool to regulate learning, lets face it, we live in a society where we are afraid to lose and miss out thus, we'd be doing projects for the sake of that carrot and not for the sake of ourselves.. If we do not attain good grades due to projects, some may not be able to make it into advanced institutions to better qualify themselves for society and they will be missing out on a long term basis which carries negative effects in many ways..

In addition, in the working world, if you ever do badly in a project, there are always review sessions to rectify the mistakes and ensure a smooth project, failure in projects will lead to further success in future ones but, if you were to fare poorly in a project in school, the outcome is permanent and sealed with nothing that you can do about it..

Holiday time..

2009-06-07T22:01:00.003+08:00

Its officially the holidays but i doubt many will be in a holiday mood especially when there are so many things to complete by the end of it.. projects and stuffs..
The tests were rather ok, i am generally satisfied with the way i did.. no complaints at all..
Yesterday, i received an invitation letter from school for the academic awards ceremony to receive DHL, i have to say i am extremely grateful for the efforts to get it and not forgetting, the joint efforts of my project mates who did play a part in my results as well..
As they say, you reap what you sow, i am glad that my work ethics are finally paying off in the good direction..
I don't know what i will be doing during the 'holidays', too short for any golf trips and too many responsibilities at hand which includes school work as well..

Just another challenge..

2009-05-31T14:28:00.003+08:00

The multitude of knowledge to be revised for the tests is huge, though it seems to be stressful and taxing on any individual, it is still necessary to undergo such process in order to achieve what you want to achieve in the tests.
Success brings pain but joy in the end, the endurance of stress and fatigue are just the steps you have to climb and overcome to reach the peak.
Whatever it is, Pain is temporary but remember, Achievement is permanent.

It's a sad situation.. Not for me though..

2009-05-26T21:13:00.002+08:00

In certain times, you can find it amusing when someone tells you and makes you believe that they are matured, they always have the conception that being older in age equates to gaining more respect in a mature figure..
But if you can have nothing better to do than to use anonymous nicks to make a joke out of a person's blog, you just have got to ask yourself, whether your behaviour is appropriate for your age and social status..
These are people who think they know everything about life and society, attacking people when they are vulnerable, criticising people when they are wrong.. They will never arrive at a conclusion where they can understand that their actions are just mere acts of disgust suggesting immaturity and disrespect.
This pretty much goes to show how low of a mental capacity some people out there possess, a great pity to such a great world..

the beauty of things

2009-05-24T21:12:00.005+08:00

I always admire the beauty of details in god's creations and certainly enjoy seeing what i like, be it nature or people.. Simply put, the finest details of anything can tell you a good story of that something or someone..
Learn to enjoy those fine details of that someone you know and it can definitely bring a brighter side of things to your life..

True Reflection..

2009-05-20T18:44:00.002+08:00

Sometimes i do look back whether being who i am has been costly to my social life, let me give an example, if my friends understand that i play golf, they always have a misconception of me being spoilt and expensive, and with that misconception, they misunderstand my character and judge the book (me) by its cover.. Certain times, i really do lose out to my friends in youthful knowledge and feel left out inside myself. But, i will be re-organising several priorities in my life because i am looking forward to making good use of my time to try many new things, learn to play music instruments, do community work, hanging out with friends and perhaps even making new friends as well.. By doing so, i believe i will have no regrets at the end of the day..

Just my views..

2009-05-16T00:21:00.004+08:00

After having a good debate among friends regarding schoolwork, we have all noticed one thing in common, we are all feeling stressed in both our mind and body, conflicting the idea that poly life should be 'stress-free' and enjoyable.

As a business student, my area is mainly aspects of all business but focus is on HR and Finance relative to the broad diversification of business topics.
Till now, the projects still bring doubts and worries with regards to the task of completing the projects on time and in accordance to guidelines provided.
Finance projects do not pose a huge barrier as opposed to HR projects due to the clear theoretical approaches learnt.

On the other hand, HR projects encourages the PBL approach to solve problems at hand which has definitely proven its worth in the working world to a certain extent. Even till now, i always constantly remind myself right from the early beginnings that the PBL approach is supposed to develop independent learners and thinkers who will solve and tackle problems by themselves.

However, it does not appear to be the case from my perspective, my fellow peers are always constantly liaising with one another to ascertain the facts and approaches to be adopted in order to solve the problem, debates also played a part as to the practicality of the approach. I am not against the methodology of PBL because i sincerely respect the significance of needing a systematic approach to solve problems at hand on a corporate level with the intricacies involved but the sight of peers being unsure and inconfident in their work has truly and disappointingly defeated the purpose of PBL which is to nurture independence in learning and the relentless pursuit of solutions to solve the problems.

Certain individuals may or may not agree with my views, the above thoughts do not form a representation of me in any form or part.

Have a good rest everyone! Good night!

Looking Back..

2009-05-13T20:06:00.002+08:00

My group had consultation with the HR consultant, received a couple of harsh words and a few pieces of paper.. good result but the process was tormenting due to excess inputs from our curious minds.. Dealing with a HR professional is as tough as explaining to your parents why you are back home at such a late hour.. Part and parcel of learning i guess..

As you grow older and mature with time, you start to question a sense of yourself..
I believe i have changed in my perspective towards different parts of my life, though its for the better, i cannot judge these changes by myself.. Sometimes when you are lost and feel astray, you have to remind yourself constantly about your moral responsibility to take good care of different parts of your life, i told myself not to take what i have for granted because before you know it, it can be all gone tomorrow.. No trace and no memories..
I admit i am a shy person, drawing regrets at the end of the day, its something i am learning and want to change for definite reasons, well all i can say is that its tougher than playing golf..

Words is all i have..

2009-05-07T00:13:00.002+08:00

I need to learn how to bridge the gaps between me and my peers..
I feel i am always losing touch of my generation and dwindling off to another topic at times..
Perhaps, i have been playing too much golf over the past few years, i don't even feel like an 18 year old and i don't think its either a good or a bad thing..
I am worried i will miss out many good things that ought to be enjoyed in this moment in time..
What can i do about it? And for the first time, i don't know how.. I can't answer myself..

Business as usual..

2009-05-04T22:35:00.003+08:00

Besides the SWINE flu outbreak, everything is as usual, i am still finding myself busy with project work especially HR project and tutorials as well..
Made a couple of new friends in my new class, looks like a fresh semester start again..

On a different note, i feel Singaporeans are rather 'kia-see', i followed a couple of my friends to buy thermometers but to no avail, all shops selling thermometers were running out of stock..
Though the virus is on the outbreak, the general public is over-reacting to this issue..
If resources can be allocated in a way that will prevent the virus from reaching our shores, it will reduce the level of anxiety among the public..
I was just wondering why does it always have to be in such critical causes that we Singaporeans will demonstrate that we are proactive persons and take the initiative to buy thermometers..
While, when the economy is down, everybody steps back and never take the initiative to consume and spend more to generate economic activity.
Always has to be a life and death situation then people will be alert and take actions immediately without any mandatory advise..

Take advantage of age..

2009-04-26T23:33:00.002+08:00

I am only 18 years of age, i love taking risks and doing as many crazy things as i can possibly do..
And why? Because i am full of exuberance, nothing limits me from doing what i like and pursuing all my dreams..
Taking risks comes with unfounded notions such as failure, shame and embarrassment.
It is when you are young that you should dare yourself to take risks and do stupid things even if you have to, because you will get something in the end, be it lessons or rewards..
Even in the worst case scenario, what do you have to lose at your age? Money? Ego?
The quantity of loss at a young age is significantly lower than what you face at a later age..
So go out there and start venturing with no fear, you will definitely get something back at the end..

Night,
Simon

Never once in doubt.

2009-04-24T01:21:00.003+08:00

There are certain issues that frustrates me and one being my friends calling me 'rich',
I will never in my life treat such comments as compliments, just ask yourself, how 'rich' is rich? & how 'poor' is poor?..
I only bother two things in my mind, being rich in passion and rich in faith, having everyone say you are rich in monetary terms just carries alot of frustration with different expectations from others. I really do not care whether i am rich, poor or average in life, so long as i feel contented and respected by my family, peers and elders..
More importantly, having those comments will definitely erode one's character with arrogance and ignorance starting to build up a bad image..

First day of a long journey ahead.

2009-04-20T23:15:00.003+08:00

The KSCC training is under commencement and everything is starting to take shape for us, student consultants. Time will pass and we will soon be ready to get involved in the business world.
I enjoyed the ice breaking session, can't believe vincent asked if so and so had a gf or a bf..
I just gave a straight-forward answer, my golf clubs..

Frankly speaking, in my life, week in and week out, its either study or golf, i never figure about my personal life.. Its been thinking of how to beat this opponent this week/next week and what swing changes to make or equipments to change, it never occurred to me about my personal life; relationships etc.
I guess i must think of a way to attend to certain aspects of my life, like i said, life's once not twice, either you make sure you get the fun out of it or there will be no point living a life.

Night.

Gentlemen, Start your engines!

2009-04-17T00:17:00.002+08:00

Monday will mark the start of a new chapter for myself, academic wise.
This will be the beginning of an end to my journey in polytechnic and as the saying goes, save the best for the last, i will stay true to my academic commitments and double up my pace of work to rest any worries of complacency.
Everyone knows this will be a crucial academic year ahead, its a make it or break it situation for me. I came into this polytechnic to do my best not only for myself but for those who had faith in me right from the very beginning to perform and i will not let anyone down with mistakes and excuses.
Time to step up to the plate and perform.

Numbers are a barrier..

2009-04-14T09:16:00.003+08:00

In the cross-section of our lives, numbers appear throughout..
Numbers can bring happiness or sorrow to you..
Several examples why i think numbers are a barrier,

Age: You let your age define you and the things you do, define your belief in your abilities to perform. Ignore your age and you will have no restrictions.

Money: Yes, Money will limit your movements in life to a certain extent but if you are rich in your faith to be the best, that very faith you have will overwhelm money.

Time: Time is always of the essence, Time is money. Shortage of Time leads to one giving up not unless, one maximises time as much as one maximises his life.

If you can ignore numbers and live your life as it is, will it make a difference?

Inspire yourself from today..

2009-04-06T11:53:00.002+08:00

I am always looking for inspiration in life. I'd listen to classic music not because i am a person entirely in to such kind of music. Well, what we have today derives from an evolution of the past. The resolution you have for the revolution in your life should be driven by your own inspiration.
Having your life dictated by inspirations of others will remove the true meaning of living your life for yourself and not living for others..

Always good to create your own inspiration and not follow others for the sake of others..
Through your own inspiration, then can you realise your own aspirations..

Clear-minded words

2009-03-30T23:15:00.007+08:00

An answer you seek will lead you to many answers, answers where it leads you to no questions.
And the questions you seek, will eventually lead you to the answer you want.
Live in the present and there shall be no answer to which you will seek in the first place.

Just words and pictures, nothing much..

2009-03-28T23:04:00.006+08:00

25/03/2009, Class Gathering with Sem 2.2 Classmates

I was glad to see the attendees of the class gathering happy and well-entertained at my place..
Thank you guys for coming to attend the class gathering, words cannot describe my appreciation of your attendance, Thank you once again!

Playing the Wii with Hey Siang while waiting for the rest to come..

Buffet Spread

Group Photo

Group Photo 2

Today, after a round of 18 holes, i was frustrated. There is just something about this game, Golf, that nobody can explain where you will go downhill when you are lying to the course about your game. Lying to the course is what i call being unfaithful to the purpose of golf where your thoughts is all about winning money and not winning yourself, this is what i did today and i thoroughly deserved to be hammered on the course today, not by my opponents but by myself..

On the way back, i took a cab as my parents have a function to attend today, this was one of the most engagingly interesting taxi ride i ever took in my life.. The taxi driver, Mr. Rafee was a friendly and entertaining person. The most fascinating part about his taxi was the many unique features on board.. You are never going to guess what he installed on his taxi, he has a laptop with a keyboard to access internet and yeah, he also installed a wifi router on his taxi where you can surf the internet with his laptop and also make use of his laptop to print materials with a printer located near the head-rest at the back..
In addition to the above, he also offers universal charging on his taxi and web-cam functions for your mobile devices, i was just simply speechless with the many features on board.. and guess what, all these services are free, no extra charges to your fare, two thumbs up definitely..

Mr Rafee is the type of individual we really need in our society right now, individuals who can re-invent services, common services with the drive to re-energise these services with fresh and creative ideas to differentiate themselves from the common. If we lack the drive to re-discover and re-invent ways where we can make what we do special, we will remain at initial point constantly with no forward movement resulting in us being the same as ever, nothing different from other societies, other individuals in other populations..

Took a couple of snapshots,

Seeing is believing

Just impressive

Puzzled

2009-03-23T18:41:00.003+08:00

After playing 18 holes at Sembawang Country Club, the undulations of the course itself had me struggling all the way, my wood was not working, my irons were poor, my putter was cold, my judgment of distance was poor and all these can be attributed to my lack of experience in playing such undulating golf course as compared to the golf course i normally play at NSRCC where the ground is flat and the shots are all straight-forward.

When i look at it from another perspective, its interesting, if i can imagine the course i played today to be something foreign, something unexpected, something unimaginable which i have no idea or memories as to how the course looks like or plays, and now i take the course i normally play where its comfortably easy, very much predictable and 'home feeling' and draw comparisons, i wonder if you can see the big picture, if me and you, my reader are always bounded within our comfort zone and have all the obstacles predicted and expected with all the experience you have and need to cruise your way through, you will never encounter a lose situation unless something of odd nature occurs.
Then, what will happen to you and i when we have to venture out to foreign territories and cruise around with no sense of direction, no necessary experience and a lack of street knowledge, what will be the outcome? I guess you will know it better than me.. Do i make sense? you be the judge..

PS: I am praying hard for Wednesday evening to be a successful gathering.. though its against the odds, well anyway, i tried my best already..

OUT

Collection of thoughts

2009-03-20T00:13:00.002+08:00

Life is a cycle, a cycle to which no mortals can reverse without immersing the need to accept facts as it is and the world as it should be.
We may say we love life the way it is, but have you ever thought why life is the way it is and not the way it should be? Are we too narrow-minded or are we too precarious with the surroundings of our life? Whatever or whichever way life goes, live it to the fullest and you will have no regrets..

Kanchanaburi Golf Trip 2009 Photos Part 1 & 2 (Updated)

2009-03-15T18:18:00.018+08:00

Here are the pictures of my golf trip to Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
I played good golf under awesome company and it was definitely worth it..
The trip was 5 days long, we played a total of 117 holes in 5 days, some days we had to walk 27 holes under the humid weather but overall, everyone enjoyed themselves including me as well, the food was good, the courses were in immaculate shape and we were hosted well.. Hope you enjoy the pictures,

Evergreen Hills Golf Club

One of the holes where i loved the set-up of hole, suits my shot pattern..

Par 5 where i nearly reached in 2 shots.. Was a close one..

Tricky Par 4 where you have to lay-up and take your shot to the green..

Scenery from the putting green..

Good view of the course..

Long Par 4, i needed my long irons to tackle this hole..

17th Hole, struck a nice 2nd shot but unfortunately, a par..

Last hole of the course, nice backdrop..

Nichigo Resort and Country Club

First hole of the Lake Course, wide fairway to hit at..

Par 3 hole on the Lake Course, dunked my shot into the drink, misjudged the distance by inches.

Par 4 hole on the River Course, narrow fairway, demands accuracy and distance.. not easy..

View from the putting green on one of the Par 3 holes, managed to get up and down for a Par here..

Par 3 hole on the Lake Course, nice view of the hole from the tee-box..

My finish on the Par 3 hole, the drop in elevation tricked me, got the distance wrong again but correct shot pattern and direction to the hole.. :(

Before walking on the suspension bridge..

On the suspension bridge..

I was playing with the general manager of the golf club, Mr Shin and he was unlucky or may i say 'lucky' when his wayward tee shot struck the trees and ended up in a 'hole' with no way to hit it out.. Won a couple of dollars as a result of this 'unfortunate' outcome of his shot.. :)

Par 4 hole where i made a Birdie, hit a good fade shot which landed near the hole.. :)

View from the putting green..

2nd Hole of the Mountain Course, Long Par 5 hole, a narrow fairway with Out of Bounds lurking left and right..

Par 4 of the Mountain Course.. Wide and open fairways..

From the putting green of the 6th hole.. Chipped in for Par here.. :)

Blue Sapphire Golf Resort

Difficult Par 4 hole, dunked my 2nd shot into the aqua, missed it by inches again.. was too aggressive with my shot.. :(

Par 3 hole where i secured a Par.. Tricky one to play..

A tricky Par 5 hole where you need to gauge your driving distance right or your ball will be wet..

Down-sloping Par 4 hole, got a Par for this hole, managed to tread my 2nd shot through the trees with my wedge.. Very pleased with the outcome..

Going hard at the ball, it was a massive drive down the middle of the fairway..

Par 5 hole where i made a mess after my drive bounced from the fairway into the hazard..

Par 4 hole, you really need to have good shot-making technique to attack this hole..

Beautiful Par 3 hole where i got a Par, took a club extra and finally got the distance right..

Group photo of Golf-Fanatics

Random photos of the club we went near our hotel..

And another one..

We had chicken noodles from the roadside after we were done in the club.. Good food..

Breakfast in the morning before we are off to golf..

Picking my target out..

Boom!

Checking the wind condition before taking a swing at it..

Group photo before tee-off

Ready to go..

Eyes on target..

Down the middle of the fairway..

Hope you readers enjoy my photos.. Cheers! :)

I'm Back!

2009-03-14T18:41:00.003+08:00

It was, without any doubt, a terrifically great trip with the fine weather and awesome landscape..
I will be posting again on a later part with the pictures, just wanted to say i felt rather neutrally pleased with my results, an A for FOI, B pluses for the rest.. No win & No lose from my viewpoint.. Time to buck up and believe in myself, no more looking back in the next semester..

More to Come!

Watch This Space

Simon

Time Out

2009-03-08T17:26:00.004+08:00

Tomorrow, i will be embarking on a 5 day trip to Thailand (Bangkok & Kanchanaburi) for a trip packed with golf and now i can really declare a true holiday when i finally have the opportunity to visit a place with serene surroundings without many man-made structures around.. Its definitely a good time to recharge and keep my senses sharp which is easily done by returning to the roots of all human and that is nature; the sun, greenery, sand and sound of nature..

Well anyway, here's a sneak preview of my trip:

I will be snapping shots of my golf trip and post it on my blog for my fellow readers to view after i return back from my trip.. Farewell everyone! :)

A sense of my surroundings

2009-03-04T23:31:00.005+08:00

Nowadays, when i have had the opportunity to soften my surroundings and soak in the peace, i have a sense that something is missing, something i cannot describe that only mother nature can.. This is a true advantage of having a long holiday where you can move away from a fast-paced life and seek some direction in your life which will have a meaning soon enough for yourself.. Well, what can i say, you have a life, you live it and you live it for a meaning..
Sometimes, i do feel like a robot, wanting to control every single thing i do, every word i say and its starting to make me feel redundant to life because i cannot absorb the very joys and moments of life as it comes, with such a mindset, a mindset i want to change and i hope my surroundings can accommodate me once again with a renewed meaning in myself..

Blending into the holiday mood..

2009-02-28T00:19:00.003+08:00

I've been hearing music over the past decade or so and i only manage to know this one song, 'Better Man' from Robbie Williams that rather illustrates the way i look at life..

''Send someone to love me
I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain''

''Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel I'm getting old
Before my time''

''As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doing all I can
To be a better man''

''Go easy on my conscience
'Cause it's not my fault
I know I've been taught
To take the blame''

''Rest assured my angels
Will catch my tears
Walk me out of here
I'm in pain''

''As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doing all I can
To be a better man''

''Once you've found that lover
You're homeward bound
Love is all around
Love is all around''

''I know some have fallen
On stony ground
But Love is all around''

''Send someone to love me
I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain''

''Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel I'm getting old
Before my time''

''As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doin' all I can
To be a better man''

Anyway, i managed to settle all driving-related matters today, lessons starts from next week which is a good sign of good progress towards receiving my driver's license..
Holidays does not only represent time to enjoy yourselves but also a time to reflect on personal mistakes and finding a sound solution to those very mistakes made..

Post Examinations thoughts

2009-02-26T22:40:00.005+08:00

Today, at 1130 hrs i took in the first breath of fresh air in days, the air of freedom..
You know, during the days that led up to the examinations, the constant mindset of studying and keeping focused tested me to my limits, there were times where you feel you are going to succumb to the pressure at hand but i was glad that i refused it and did so without question.
I am truly glad that i did the examinations my way, my style and my feel without having to adjust to any conditions whatsoever.

Next 2 months will be full of activities and primarily golf activities; putting in more work on my game and fitness level to get myself sharper and ready for competition in the near future, been a while since i played in one. I will be off to Thailand in March for a golf trip with a group of golfaholics and it will be good fun and experience.
Not to mention, i will be pushing hard with my progress to get my driving license, i will make full use of this holiday to clock as many sessions as i can.

Cheers to all!

A Breath Of Fresh Air

2009-02-20T23:58:00.002+08:00

Aside from the exams in progress, you will realise that after the exams and the holidays, you will start to lose contact with some of your current classmates or your friends. This proves to be true when you graduate from school. Sometimes you as a friend to others will be recognised by your name but if they were to recall you, they will not remember the recent deeds you have done but the one trait you have that leads them to leaving a deep impression of you as a person.

I do not know what people view of me but i hope i did leave a good impression on my mates to have them remembering me for a long time, i really do hope i appear who i think i should be in the eyes of my friends.

Well, there are still responsibilites for me to fulfill as a student now during the exam time and that is to do my utmost best for the papers.

Nite Everyone!

Period of Reflections

2009-02-15T10:42:00.003+08:00

When you start studying for your examinations, you self-reflect on yourself and ask why does it always have to be left till the last few moments that you start to learn what you have to learn, i guess during desperate times, desperate measures will always make things easier for yourself..

Exams are challenging and though may be seen as a mundane affair to some, it is definitely an integral part of your life.. Without it, you will never re-discover yourself in a different way..

Name this post for me..

2009-02-09T00:05:00.002+08:00

Its great to know that you have the green light to prepare for your exams without anymore considerations of project work duties or tutorials.. I know for myself that exams are always a test of character and knowledge, the pressure on myself is ever present and i just feel that i have to learn to prepare myself to manipulate this pressure into something that deals a good impact on my motivation to do well and even better than before.. I have to admit that it is no easy task to do the mentioned and continuously convince yourself to believe and to believe again..

On a lighter note, it will be a long break after the exams and i am looking forward to it especially after having a semester filled with immense workload and many small obstacles..
I am sure that many of you readers are waiting for the exams too, i hope you will continue to believe in your own capabilities and study within those capabilities of yours, do not let pressure overwhelm your presence, maintain good work ethics and attitude and the results will do the talking for you.

Good Night!

just a checkpoint

2009-02-03T23:48:00.002+08:00

Phew.. i managed to pass my final theory test for driving yesterday, you know, i was not well prepared for this test in any way... went in there, took it one at a time, passed, done..
Well, i didn't knew i had so many friends concerned about me because right after the test, many were asking about my result. thank goodness i did pass though..

I am starting to cast a lazy shadow over myself, i do not feel as focused as i ought to be..
Neither my brains nor my senses seem to be functioning well, looks like i need to be out on the course cutting the grass for goodness sake, well you get to play golf and do gardening for the course at the same time, how good does it get?

It will be a hectic week ahead of me, comm skills 2 exams, hr presentation, exams.. so far yet so near...

My Thoughts about myself

2009-02-01T01:11:00.007+08:00

I am starting to learn about myself both in school and on the golf course, it is not really about my abilities that i am concerned with.. when you realise you set too high of an expectation of yourself, you do not know how to lower it because you do not know what normality is..
In my instance, i demand a high standard to which i conduct myself of everything, now i ponder whether i am doing the right thing to over demand even though through theoretical thoughts, i presume that this will bring good outcomes to all aspects of my life..

However, to a certain extent, i currently do not seem to be experiencing the latter and i have been asking myself if being a 'control freak' will add contentment to every part of my life but it appears otherwise when people start to misunderstand you as being too stiff on the outside but when you are actually soft on the inside...

Nevertheless, trying to control my actions to reach my expectations did bring certain good outcomes but all i can say is that being a 'overly-serious' person is not a satisfying outcome for me as an adaptable individual where i want to have a good balance in my everyday life, not just being competitive and dominant at work but also to have a margin of 'slacking', joking and fooling around in order to achieve an offset towards my sturdy outlook..

There is one thing i really hope that will not happen and that is to continue to blind my foresightedness and continue to be stubborn and close myself inwards, becoming an introvert which is as good as being a loser at the end of the story..

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

2009-01-27T02:15:00.004+08:00

Happy Chinese New Year to all!

May the year of the Ox bring health, wealth, happiness and bountiful rewards for you and your family! :)

Chinese New Year always reminds me of my heritage as a Chinese and the traditions that has to be followed and i honour the traditions as a proud Chinese and this includes collecting red packets 'ang pows' from your family, friends and sometimes peers, which i have to say is most probably what everyone waits for during Chinese New Year visits..

Sometimes as you soak into the occasion of Chinese New Year together with your family and loved ones, you can feel the sense of bond and identity commonly shared among yourselves and then will you know to appreciate and cherish it even more after festivities such as Chinese New Year..

Once again, Happy Niu Year to all! Good night everyone!

-OUT-

Ask yourself..

2009-01-24T02:07:00.004+08:00

Every assessment in work, brings all to a point of comparison, comparing project grades, comparing examination marks, comparing everything you can possibly boast..

On the outer, you may look friendly but on the inner, you are out to get everyone and prove you are the better.

What do you get from comparisons? Self satisfaction? Sense of pride? Added motivation?

When you treat your peers as your 'opponents', you will never stand to gain..

So what even if you have won, thrash, crush your peers with your impressive grades or achievements, did you manage to overcome and beat yourself in the end? Ask yourself..
Everyone wants to win others but if you cannot even overcome yourself and beat yourself, how can you go about declaring victory over others?

Win gracefully and lose gracefully, humbleness is key to success..

you fall, you stand, you strive harder

2009-01-19T22:44:00.006+08:00

it was a standard weekend for me, golfing around and collecting school fees again.. what a year 2009 is becoming.. pretty cool..
Below is a picture of me praying hard that my 'enemy' is going to land his ball into the water.. but it was not to be.. what a waste.. :)

Today's comm skills presentation was rather smooth, everyone looked great and was glad my group did quite well for the presentation.. good job everyone..

As i study and do projects, i start to think if the grades we receive are really important or are the moral values or lessons we learn from our grades are of a higher importance?

Only when you fall then will you learn how to stand back up on your feet and stamp your position with authority and nothing can dominate you..

focus i must as focus i shall..

in a world of my thoughts

2009-01-15T21:20:00.002+08:00

Many a times either during a project or after a project, every individual will definitely self-reflect where they have/are gone/going wrong or who is responsible for the mistakes..

You can choose to look at it from a defensive point of view by criticising your group mates for not doing their part well or not up to your satisfactory standards, this is common and why? In the society we live in, we never look into ourselves and ask whether you, yourself is doing a good or satisfactory job in the eyes of your group members but to play the blame game by blaming one another for each other's faults.. and you believe you are not wrong..

In the past, whenever i have had to self-reflect on myself during numerous projects, i realised that it is better to ask yourself why am i not able to influence my group to perform well or finish their respective parts on time though they may be wrong and sometimes, i felt i could have changed the situation by inputing positive influence to my group and giving encouragements instead of criticising them.. In the working world out there, you do not always get your ideal group members which puts further emphasis on the ability to accomodate and influence, to give and to take, to learn and to share in order to succeed in what you set out to do..

In the end of the day, it will be a win-win situation with good progress and good friendship intact.

Wrap up of last week..

2009-01-12T08:35:00.005+08:00

Glad to say that i finally got my laptop back from repair after a long wait..

School is still the same with project meetings all week long and tutorials, time flies when you are a poly student, it will be CNY in a few weeks time which is fast and everything is so compact.. project deadline around CNY period and exams right after that..
The lecturers and tutors are doing a good job.. i guess.. in training us to be ready to handle such hectic schedule and be efficient in doing it.

On friday, i joined in another round of birthday celebration for JS at Marina in a restaurant called changing appetites with several friends and new friends as well.. the food was good with a unique presentation style.. we headed down to the esplanade after the meal for games and they were mind-boggling games..nah just kidding on that mind boggling part..

Group photo

Guys group photo

Turning our backs on the camera..

The new year of 2009 is looking increasingly promising, my new year resolution is to capitalise all opportunities at hand and it is taking a good turn..
Spent the weekend playing golf with the usual kakis, collected school fees from them on the course..lol.. 2009 is seriously looking good for me.. just love it..

Another Year, Another Start

2009-01-05T00:52:00.014+08:00

Hmm.. where should i start from..

Firstly, let me wish everybody a happy new year, i am sure this is going to be a big year for all of us..

I celebrated countdown with my buddies, Ben, JS, Zen and Shu Hui at the Marina Bay, though we could not get a good vantage point to view the fireworks, we still enjoyed the spectacular show of fireworks where the many variations and patterns of the fireworks kept our eyes wide

open..

Welcoming 2009

Happy New Year!

After the fireworks, we headed down to clarke quay to look for a place to chill but lady luck was not on our side this time around, we could not find a good place to have a couple of drinks and we just walked around the city area to soak in the atmosphere of the New Year.. enjoyed myself..

Well, now its down to what happened yesterday night, the first weekend of 2009..

Me, Ben, Zen, Jia Yun and Amreesh celebrated JS birthday at the Hard Rock cafe..

It was a terrific place to celebrate with the good setting it provides and we enjoyed music from the live band 'Enigma' in the cafe, it was Retro night and we got a blast from the past with music from Queen, U2 and other great bands..

The dinner was a delight, the steak was good, you've got to go try the steak.. seriously..

Anyway, I was glad to see my good friend, JS enjoying his birthday celebration there, credits to Ben and the rest for the planning, it was a success.. Good food, Good drinks, Good music and not forgetting good laughs kept us all entertained for the night.. Simply splendid..

A group photo of us..

Watch where you are pointing that, boy..

Enigma in the house..

Another Group Photo.. Nice cake..

Just one of those random ones taken.. ???

Another one i guess?? Must be either Ben or Zen..

School has started.. Hello HR, Hello Finance.. Aww.. When is the rollercoaster ride going to end??

Nite Everybody! :)

back to school..

2008-12-30T20:33:00.004+08:00

The return back to school gives you the feeling of being put on a time ticking bomb with both new and old projects deadlines nearing and other work needing to be done.. Well, on the bright side of things, you get to meet your class again and joke around with them which is basically what school should be all about.. I guess that is what makes everyone want to be in school instead of home at times and definitely not the projects that deters you from loving school..

Anyway, thank goodness there is a one and a half day break this week to alleviate the post-holiday blues and re-adjust to school again..

Although i want to lead a fun-filled life, there has to be control and i want to share this saying with all my readers and hope you can pick something out of it, ' Success breeds complacency, Complacency breeds failure, Only the paranoid can survive'.. Never get ahead of yourself because before you know it, you have failed..

Lastly, i will like to wish all my readers a good new year's eve and an advance Happy New Year!

Lets all hope for the best for 2009 where good opportunities and surprises awaits everyone..

Good Night! :)

Good old hobbies..

2008-12-27T08:55:00.005+08:00

Besides golf, i am also a fish hobbyist.. In this hobby, most people keep fishes for the purpose of decoration while i'd like to think otherwise, i treat the keeping of fishes as a learning journey for myself.. Prior to this hobby which was a few years back, i never learnt to be patient and responsible in what i do but, this hobby demands patience, responsibility and dedication.. If you are not patient with the feeding, the fish may be under-nutrition which is not a good sight to see..

The dedication you have towards fish must be complemented with unquestioned responsibility to take care of the fish, the cleaning of tanks and monitoring the water parameters because if you don't, the fish will be in danger of dying..

This hobby is not just work but enjoyment as well, when you see your fish swimming in clear water inside a clean tank with its tails and fins spread widely, it gives you a sense of satisfaction.

Let me share with you my collection of fishes :) ,

I enjoy keeping several types of fishes at home mainly kois, arowana, blood parrots..

The different fishes i have are unique in their characteristics,

Kois love to swim in a circular pattern and glide with their fins.. A lovely sight to see..

Arowanas have a predatorial instinct and they also enjoy swimming with their fins and tail spread widely to show their class in front of its owner.. A true dragon indeed..

Blood parrots swim very closely together and if you look from far, its basically just RED.. a beautiful sight indeed..

This is what i have to share for the day, i'd better get ready for battle on the golf course.. haha.. Have a nice day everyone!

Cheers! :)

Best Wishes for all!

2008-12-25T10:04:00.002+08:00

Heres wishing all my readers, friends and family a Merry Christmas!

Best of wishes for the coming year, may pleasant surprises await all!

I love the Christmas season, not for the presents but, this festive season reminds us the true joy of sharing and loving the ones around you.. I hope everyone is having a great christmas with all the festive food; roasted turkey and log cakes..

On the learning curve..

2008-12-24T11:59:00.002+08:00

As you mature together with time, you start to realise certain parts of life has been neglected with excuses. When you let nature takes its course, opporutnity will take its own course too.. and you start asking yourself why you did not capitalise all opportunites available. Life is not a game, once you miss your chance, you miss it.. no more second chances..

Happy Hols!

2008-12-21T21:08:00.007+08:00

I've been trying to enjoy my holidays and i feel i have succeeded in doing it to a certain extent.

Few days back, i caught the movie 'IP Man' with JS, Ben, Timo, Amreesh.. i strongly recommend this movie, well all i have to say, this is more than just another chinese movie, it embodies traditional chinese values and good kung fu action promoting our chinese heritage.. it is definitely worth both time and money..

We went to liquid kitchen at thomson for a couple of drinks and snacks, i gave the Singapore Sling a try and i found the ingredients to be a great blend of different varieties of alcohol and the after-taste leaves a unique feel on your taste bud.. Heres a picture of it,

The Singapore Sling

Not to mention, i managed to make a couple of bucks on the golf course yesterday.. haha..

Great time was spent yesterday, nothing beats doing what you love doing..

I managed to take time during the break to play with my dogs, good fun..

His name is toto, a talented pomeranian in

asking for snacks..

Is it still a 'holiday'?

2008-12-17T00:56:00.005+08:00

I am intrigued with the true meaning of a holiday. maybe in the earlier years, say in the 20th century where life is simpler, holidays are enjoyable with no worries but just pure enjoyment of everything.

Nowadays, everyone is tightening themselves up with work and worries over their finances..

I feel the word 'holiday' is starting to lose its true meaning especially in my context as a student where i have to either do research on or try to complete the several projects i have. time to enjoy during the holidays? i will rate it as nil even if there are sparse intervals to 'enjoy' during my holiday..

If you were to realise the human mentality in our asian society is to make sure that we do not lose out to the rest in terms of work; progress of work, research etc. it is that persistent attitude we hold that can prove to undermine the true meaning of periods like 'holidays'.. nobody will let loose of their pusuit to be the best they can be or the achiever they desire to be even if it means to sacrifice enjoyment for satisfaction.. i hope you can see the trade-off going on, because this is happening all over.. When will we start to realise the need for a balance in what we do? If everybody around us will realise this need, maybe we can all have a true holiday soon with no workload on our back..

My laptop is currently under repair for a failed hard disk and i am left with no choice but to surf the internet using either my PS3 or my Omnia.. it takes patience to surf the net with these two device... it really does.. especially when you have to navigate up, down, left, right with either a controller or a stylus...

my temporary internet-hub

My thoughts in my words

2008-12-13T22:39:00.002+08:00

I guess the exams achieved what it was set out to do and that was to grill every bit of our knowledge.. Let me give an example, the finance test is full of twists and turns which requires a certain level of preparation to plot your way through it.. If you ever assume the answers on the first look, the paper setter will be smiling away since he/she has caught you red-handed with your 'assumptions' and see you taking the wrong end with no knowledge of it.

Well, i finally had the luxury of spending time with my friends and not forgetting new friends (JS,Ben,Timo,Alan,Huiyi,Denyse,Nisha), we had steamboat for dinner yesterday at bugis area.. Quite a scrumptious meal with the palatable ingredients for steamboat..
I have to say, it was a nice dinner when you have no more worries for tests.
The coming holidays will be filled up with project work for PFP and FOI..

Back to reality, the economic climate seems to be glooming as the days go by..
Lets admit, this is affecting everyone directly/indirectly negatively, if you ever notice, in this time of trouble, everyone looks down and ponders the future.. and it is in this times of sorrows and depression where your friends plays a major role in lifting your head up high and helping you while you walk this dark road ahead.. Many people can say they have a huge bunch of friends but have you ever lie down on your bed and use your ten fingers to count how many loyal and trustworthy friends you have? You'd be in a shock to find out just how many true friends you have out of the huge bunch of friends.. true friends who will carry you through this time of difficulties no matter the circumstances..

I suppose i do not have to emphasise the need for loyal and true friends.. I hope this will get you counting and thinking who will stand by you when you are trapped in the valley of difficulties..
Life may be a journey but along this journey, you will need help some where & some time..

Night! :)

Bring it on!

2008-12-08T21:30:00.003+08:00

Mid-sem test is around the corner.. everyone including me is getting worked up for this little one.. in many ways, tests are instruments used to test us; test our intelligence, test our mettle, test our resolve and assess our diligence towards academics.. Lets just say, tests are necessary to see if we are really worthy of what we are doing.. to all my friends studying: Stay focused, maximise time, stress yourself within your capabilities.. after all, we are just facing a few pieces of defenceless paper.. whos to be afraid.. it or you?

IT's UN-OFFICIALLY OVER..

2008-12-04T00:31:00.004+08:00

2 more days till mindmap presentation before i can say PBL 1 is GAME OVER, chapter closed..

It was a tad bit of rush and joy today, having to take cab back home in order to retrieve my appendixes given by the consultants that is required in the report.. Submitted the report together with my group member, xing yi.. the joy of submitting the report is sensational..

Take a look at just how thick this monster is...

180 pages of hard work from 5 hardworking individuals over a period of 1 month plus.

A look into what's going through my mind:

2 days to comm skills submission
2 days to mindmap presentation
2 days to weekend
8 days to mid-sem tests
10 days to the end of mid-sem tests
10 days to the start of mid-sem break

I guess pressure is becoming numb to me, these figures are just mere figures of stress, ignoring it is a problem while thinking of it is also another problem.. what to do with it? I have no clue, do you?

IF...

2008-12-02T23:45:00.002+08:00

The following week will be the mid-sem test and its going to be crazy even when there is only 2 subjects to be tested.. can you believe the pressure 2 subjects can create and have that pressure multiplied by the amount of work due to be done this week.. Thats PRESSURE! Desperate times calls for Desperate measures.. i have a prediction that this coming weekend will be taxing and not relaxing.. Well, I am glad to say that PBL 1 will be unofficially over tomorrow pending the mindmap presentation on friday which is just......

There are many times in my life i'd love to use the word 'If'..

If only had i studed properly, i'd have done better..
If i had gone JC, i'd have finished my 'A' levels by now..
If i can go back in time and prevent the wrong from happening, how sweet..
If the putt went in, i would have won the hole..
If i could have remembered history and prevent it from occurring again.. how wonderful it is..

In the end, i must say its not about dwelling about the past and telling yourself constantly about what you could or would have done in the previous position, its all about looking ahead and moving forward with what you have and the lessons you have learnt.. Never once was there a time where the use of 'If' could have changed the situation and improve it, its all self-comforting and while doing so, you tend to neglect the reality of having to move on with things.. Many things in this world are uncontrollable, its about getting yourself controlled which is important and not the mindset of wanting to control the situation.. we are humans and theres a limit to what we can do no matter how optimistic we may be..

Night everyone!

so many things yet so little time..

2008-11-29T23:08:00.005+08:00

there are so many things people like me and you readers of my age should do in our life at this age, enjoying ourselves as much as we can, trying different forms of fun, making as many friends as possible..
the time we have are pretty much consumed by academics, time is always running out, youth is also running out.. instant work with constant stress is the catalyst of the equation.. guess this is the 21st century way of life.. got to live with it.. Night Everyone!

Confessions of a teenage golfer..

2008-11-26T21:14:00.005+08:00

Its been a hectic week of projects and projects.. its all about learning to love projects but i don't seem to be learning to love that well.. Oh well.. Just came back from the range to erase the word 'project' from my mind.. I am glad to have group members who are willing to go the extra mile to ensure our project is on track, Thanks!

I felt now is a right opportunity to share with my readers on reality of life..
Last time, i used to play golf weekly with my friends and we always had wager in different forms such as individual, team, points and we will mutually agree to play the bets while playing golf.. i just want to illustrate that having money involved with friends can KILL friendship and make things look real ugly..

Especially in golf, friends become opponents and our target is to beat each other for the purpose of winning money.. cheating happens.. swearing happens.. cursing happens.. tantrums thrown.. you name it and i've seen & heard it all.. the greed and desire to win money erodes friendship and i do admit, the losses in each game we play can be quite big, i am not boasting about how big i wager during golf but the point i want my readers to take from this post is never ever get money overly involved in friendships, it can destroy it.. Hope you can learn something from this.. :) Cheers!

Picture taken in Shenzhen, China while golfing.. enjoy the view!

the word is cherish..

2008-11-22T10:20:00.004+08:00

Had a few drinks with Ben and JS yesterday night at Jerry's.. a great time to chill and relax.. great place to visit..

Recent years, i have to admit that the complexity of life has clouded me from appreciating the people around me and that includes my friends and family.. Like they say, these are the pillars that support your life..

More importantly, i learn to appreciate what my parents have been doing for me and guiding me through out my life.

I'd often dread their words and find them to be grumpy at times but in the end, i realised the meaning of their words of guidance and apply them to my life which definitely helped get me back on the right track at times..

the word 'cherish' is not something to be overlooked, parents and not forgetting friends are there for you but whether you take notice of them and cherish them is your part to view and take.. cos when its too late, it really is too late - nothing you can do to get them back..

Just thought of something to end this post,

I'd imagine this : My life is a tunnel with a light shimmering at the end, the tunnel is dark and full of traps.. my parents have walked through the tunnel before and what they are doing, is to guide me to the end, away from the traps and harms of life..

So i say, lets cherish what we have before its just too late.. :)
Cheers!

Let's talk about success.. Shall we?

2008-11-19T21:00:00.002+08:00

I was going through my HR work and getting started with my preparations for the communication skills test tomorrow when i just realised what i am doing now are just one of many things both me and you readers face on our path to success in life.. when i meet many people on the golf course, the topic of success is constantly surfacing as people are very much occupied with being a success in life and they enjoy talking about how successful they are.. ''how big their business is, how expensive their golf clubs are..etc'' i guess this is a common mentality where most people like to boast what they own but the big question mark is ''Does material wealth and status mean success in life?'' i took time to digest this and discovered there are just many traits a successful person will have, for example, being contented with life and this does not mean material wealth; the simple joys of life will do, being humble to everyone and acknowledging people who guided you to success, being a sociable and well-mannered individual.. i guess the list will go on and on with no full-stop to it.. One thought i had in mind was to look at life as a whole picture and not zooming in on every detail of the picture.. this way, i find myself being more contented with what i have around me and not overly intrepreting my circumstances and it really does make me feel balanced in life although i will not really say i am a success in life as yet since i still have a long way to go in life and many lessons yet to be learnt.. Do you agree?

a visit to the singapore open..

2008-11-17T00:33:00.011+08:00

the conditions were perfect for a perfect finish to this quality event..

i made my way to sentosa golf club at about 1.30pm and followed the second last group which consists of jeev m. singh, padraig harrington and charlie wi.. they are pretty good at what they do and that's to compete at top-class level.. on TV it may seem easy but in actual fact, competing at this level requires a high level of focus and precision to shut the surroundings out and getting the job done especially when there are noise and disturbances from the crowd.. i managed to take a few pics today 'discreetly' as they imposed a prohibition on cameras and handphones to prevent any interruption to the players' game..

though the food and drinks were pricey but i enjoyed myself when i followed the players around the course and it was exciting..

i am very impressed at how the players conduct themselves on the course in terms of composure and their mental strength..

Charl Schwartzel in trouble after an errant tee-shot on the 15th hole..

Rory Mcilroy, David Gleeson and Charl Schwartzel on the 15th Green.

and the eventual winner.. Jeev M. Singh.. he definitely deserved to win..

on the 16th hole..

17th green..

Padraig Harrington on the 18th hole 2nd shot..

Last group.. Phil Mickelson in yellow and Lam Chih Bing in white..

Last group on the last hole..

Guess that's all i have for today..

Nite everyone! :)

It's a beautiful day..

2008-11-16T00:47:00.008+08:00

Finally.. that's the word I'd use to describe today..

Finally, I get to play golf today with my Saturday 'kakis' at changi, the weather was great all day - windy and cloudy.. I did not play as well as i normally would but i am starting to swing well on a consistent basis which is keeping me delighted.. well, in the end, i lost to my 'kakis'.. guess i was too generous in giving handicap to them.. lol..

View of the 6th Hole (Air Force Course)

View of the Navy Course

Navy Course 4th Hole

Me surveying a hole before choosing my club..

Back To Life..

you know, i feel that the pace of my life is picking up so fast that i do not have time to do things i normally would such as watching television or keeping in touch with my hobby of keeping fishes through forums.. i am starting to understand that polytechnic life is more like a preview of working life and you learn how to manage your time well for your priorities such as work and play.. in the past, time management played a small part in my life but now it has become an essential part in my life by helping me to get my work done on time..
anyway, i will be going to Sentosa tomorrow to catch the Singapore Open on the final day.. its definitely going to get exciting with the quality of players in it.. i shall treat tomorrow as an opportunity to enjoy myself and watch quality golf..

It's Thursday.. Argh..

2008-11-14T00:41:00.009+08:00

Thank goodness i made it for my class at 9 in the morning, my dad drove me to school after i over-slept.. Its been raining very frequently, the weather is making me feel real sleepy just when you need energy to keep you going for the day especially when you have not completed your projects and stuff..

Well, ended my day on a high note with a visit to the Bishan Driving Range to 'educate' my golf clubs to hit the ball straight and long.. i will have to say its more like shedding rust off my golf swing today.. took a few pics of the range and my weapons of choice for the day (4 iron, 6iron, 8 iron, PW)..

First-person view of a driving range bay..

Weapons - Mizuno Blades & not forgetting my titleist glove :)

Face-down view of my address on my 4 iron..

Thats all folks! night everybody! :)

Just another day of school..

2008-11-12T23:30:00.002+08:00

Attended the Fundamentals of Investment lecture today, the content of topics are getting harder to understand with the many theory and calculations involved.. Well, better start revising on my FOI before its too late..
Today's HR consultation was quite fruitful i have to say, managed to squeeze some important information from our problem consultant, it was not easy at all! LOL
I am glad that my group are putting in effort in their departments, i hope we will do well and reap the fruits of our labour..
Been a while since i played golf.. My golf clubs are definitely yearning to be played, going to start on a golf training program with my coach within the next week or so.. My target is to play in the Singapore Open next year!
And i am fortunate to have a golf coach determined to help me get there..
Better get going with my PFP tutorial, early class tmr.. Nite Everyone!! :)

point of view

2008-11-12T09:20:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, i heaved a sigh of relief after my HR consultation, the words ' you are on the right line' eased tonnes of my shoulders.. finally i managed to get it all satisfactory for the tutor..

You know, before i decided to start blogging, i asked my good friend Ben whether i should blog. he told me blogs are places that you can share your views openly to your readers and i totally agree with that..

So i decided to share with my observations yesterday.. you see, me and my group of friends (Melvin, KH, PX) were having lunch at KFC yesterday and we had many talks about hairstyles, the design of shirts and also about soccer.. there were many comments made about each of our hairstyles and mine was under the focus as well.. i will not hold any of my friend's opinions be it good or bad to mind but what intrigued me was the general nature of our revolving topics we always talk about, (soccer, hairstyles, entertainment) i am no exception as well..

i realised that we are not far from being let out to the business world in the very near future, the conversation content and the level of mentality (i am not saying that we are childish or sort) that generates the conversation content does make me ponder if we (both me and you readers of my age) will be ready for the business world out there.. its not as pleasant as it may seem, it is full of traps, very competitve not forgetting fast-paced.. it does help when you start to think about which position we are in and prepare for the business world.. I am also trying hard to gear myself up for the challenging business world ahead of me..

Many of you may agree or disagree with what i said, but this is reality... well, thats food for thought..

Decided to share one of the pics i took when i was playing golf in China,

Getting ready to leave for school later.. Cheers Everyone! :)

2008-11-10T23:19:00.000+08:00

i guess it must have been the monday blues or something.. so many things to think of yet so little things to do.. HR is catching me BIG TIME.. i have to admit that it will be and it is an arduous task to finish this PBL but then again, this is life, life is full of many challenges, both big and small, it is what you learn from these challenges that makes you stronger in character and aid you in your future..
I have learnt over the years, no matter how high the mountain is or the amount of stress you have, you must not lose sight of what is it that you want at the end because when this happens, you lose focus and your determination to endure, ruining you in the short-run..
Well, i better get going.. i need to finish my peer teaching notes.. till then.. nite everyone!

the very first time..

2008-11-10T01:24:00.000+08:00

hello all, i have just decided to start blogging to kill the time i have.. this is my first blog and my first post.. guess its getting rather late.. will post tomorrow..