Saving the Best for the Last

The Games are practically over now. No more competition tmr, no medals to be given out tmr, all venues are being derigged. The shuttle buses between venues have operated their last day today, and only a few athletes still remain here in Singapore. Tomorrow is officially the final day of the Games, there's only the Closing Ceremony left on the schedule.

As the Games wears on, our spirits get lifted, our faces furnish more of smiles rather than tired frowns. We feel relieved that the Games is going to be over, and with that so does the craziness which everyone has been put through the past few months in preparing for the Games. At the same time, we glow in satisfaction, seeing the product of our hardwork. We are well aware that this Games has fallen short in many aspects of people's expectations, and it may not be that well organised in some parts. But hey, you know when was the previous time SIngapore organised a multi sport event of this sort? 1993! To put together a show in a short span of something less than a year is hard enough, to deliver a great show after 16 silent years is too much to expect isn't it?

I find it hard to find the reason why I love the nature of these multi sport, cross culture kind of Games. There's so much that I enjoy about it.

Quah TIng Wen & her girls will grab the headlines at home, and people will sing praises of our contingent's performance.Student volunteers will return to school and compare their collection of pins and post up facebook photos taken with the cute and handsome Koreans. I will hang up my accreditation pass, take a break, look forward to school.

What I will remember most to last through time will, incidentally be the last of the competition action at this Games. At a few minutes past 9pm, one hour after Ting Wen & Gals ended off the 5 days of swimming action on a high, and minutes after the Majulah Singapura was being played over at Bowling, I tuned in to the live streaming from Jalan Besar Stadium, where the football finals was being played. I watched the final minutes of the game between the 2 Koreas. I rested my chin on my hands as the final whistle was blown. What proceeded on after that got me all emotionally stirred up. After the customary handshakes, both sides mixed as they joined to form a line, and raised each others' hands to acknowledge the crowd. It all felt like they were a team. Not only that, the players from the South wrapped their arms around their neighbours affectionately, seemingly to tell everyone that they are brothers.

I hope the political leaders see that. The North may have lost out to the South, but I believe they've gained a kinship.

Thats the most beautiful thing that happened this Games.
vin

This week was another happening but tiring week...

Tuesday: Went for Mass Comm interview at NTU in the morning, thank God for arranging this interview. I am thankful for it, even though I didn't feel very good about my chances after that. PArtly due to my dismal record at interviews, and knowing that my reusults aint good enough for the course.

But I prayed that I'll trust in the Lord as He holds the future and best plans for me. Yup, any other time I will be worried sick, but this time I didn't allow myself to be troubled by this.

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long for the outcome. I received the admission package on Thursday! Thank God that He's allowed me to get into the course, and I pray that He'll continue to guide me through the course.

Was so tired just now, that I was falling asleep during the Charity not Enough mtg. Thank God for Jiayan, who shared a cab with me home, and I had some time of badly needed rest.

I've been really busy with preparing for the Games, and its been rather draining on everyone, more on those who are in the frontline fighting wars everyday and some of them have fallen ill. But seeing all the boy boy girl girl from all over Asia come here and compete is interesting, most of them are wide eyed youths just having the time of their life here.

If I have the opportunity to interact with any of the athletes, I will choose to spend time with the North Korean team. I'm just dying to know what is going through their minds when they see Singapore, and come into contact with the people, culture here. Even though I think its minimal, (I bet they are banned from visiting the lounges, and not allowed to watch tv, even their movement may be severely restricted, which means no walk around at the malls just below where they're staying) still something about whats here in Singapore, a foreign country that strike them right? The food? The buildings that are populated by people? People who actually go to work in business suits but not in fields, people who dress nicely to work but not to perform a cultural dance on stage? Surely on their way to the training grounds, in the bus, they would have said 'wow, wow, wow'. I am so intrigued by this, coz its not everyday I can get to see people from the North.

Well, so I'm hoping that in the next 10 days, I will get more than, and out of just an exchange of grins with a North Korean player. I have nothing against them they should know, I wanna know them better.

vin

Thank God for leading me through this past week, was really busy, and had to labour through the weekend. Was in JB on Sunday for the Hockey finals and the matches were great, but it also meant that I reached home past 12 and still having to work on the article. Well, I'm kinda glad that the 2 weeks of action is over, and now is time for the Games. For the Games I will be doing something that is totally different from writing. So these weeks I've been managing 2 different portfolios and thank God for keeping me healthy and still going on.

Anyways, I went for my interview at Comms Studies today. (Wanted to give it a final shot). Well, I didn't think the interview went down too well. But you know, I've learnt to trust God. I mean, there's no point in worrying when I know that everything is in God's hands. So yup, see where God leads!

vin

oh ya i did

I wanted to do a shout out here earlier this week when news came bubbling in fresh, but didn't have the time to do so until just, now.

Oh wait, I realised that I've already announced to fellow netizens here that I've passed my driving test right, yep so until now I'm still very thankful.

ta.
vin

I've finally passed my driving test. Really really very incredible and amazing. I feel so thankful.

Going into the test today, I didn't think I stand a chance of passing. Considering that I had not went for a lesson since my previous failure a couple of months back, and I've hastily arranged a 90min lesson before the actual test, I seriously didn't think I will pass.

I was even thinking of how should I respond when I fail, I was running through the right response in my head.. But all of that didn't come to materialise, as I PASSED. wah really thank God for being so gracious.

Haha, even when I told my instructor abt the outcome, this was exactly what he said over the phone, 'Har?! you get 10 points only ah? wah see you blur blur also can get 10points'. Oh well.. yea I won't disagree to that.

yays!
thank God! for teaching me patience.
vin

yay its sunday

phew, thank God that I'm coming to the end of the week :)
Anyway it doesn't make any difference to me, coz even weekends seem like I'm cluttered with work. Thank God for these work, that I have the chance to learn through experience, and serve Him while I can. So I can not only let myself be clouded by the work at hand, but also enjoy it joyfully.

I am still contemplating on whether to head down to AVIVA finals tmr evening. Should I? I really feel like spending the day at home. hmm... will weigh out the 2 options tmr.

Oh ya, today my boss asked me how many off days I wanna take after the Games, and when I wanna leave, in prep for Uni, and he urged me to go on a holiday trip b4 school starts. HAHA... another short holiday sounds good... :)

okok, no time to think abt that for now...
vin

bz bzbz bz

Thank God for PlayMAX at St. Andrew's Cathedral today, I think it was an excellent event for students to play to the max (really!) and to hear the gospel in a very comfortable and flowy manner.

My group stayed from morning right till closing time (5pm), whoa, I still can't believe it, I actually had the energy and strength to play, interact talk with the group from 9-5pm. Whoa, its like almost one full day at work. Thank God for sustaining the excitement and energy level.

After that I headed back to office to clear up some work related stuffs, and really hate it when, by the time I leave the office, the only convenient place to get food is Macs :( sad part of working late, when you see all the shutters coming down and have no choice but to go to Macs to get a burger.

Ok, busy days ahead. I am busy when I don't even have time to check my emails, and go on facebook, and meet my family for dinner (I have not had a meal with anyone of them since last Saturday morning, when my dad was fetching me back to office).

vin