when things aren't looking that fine and the strings that hold your life together are loosening, when the ones you'd normally turn to for a listening ear or a hug deserts you, when you don't produce the good results you deserve by the amount of hardwork you put in while watching those lazy bums do better than you, when you do people a favour repeatedly without being reciprocated, when the bad seems to be thriving over the good, when you suddenly feel like you are just so alone, so taken advantaged of and downright pathetic.

following Jesus goes beyond earthly security :)
do things to please Jesus, tell Jesus about the troubles.

He'll right the wrongs.
He'll triumph over the evil.
He'll bring justice.
He'll listen to your cries of frustration.
vin

goodbye beijing

coz i've missed the 2nd half of the Beijing Olympic Games, i've tried to search for some of the action that i've missed on the internet. But i'm disappointed that due to broadcasting or some licensing rights, i'm unable to watch the replays from my computer in Singapore.



However some of the action which i've caught which will most probably go make it far in both our memories and in history includes Micheal Phelps winning 8 gold medals, Usain Bolt bolting on the track in an insanely easy anyday run but losing popularity points due to his cockiness, Singapore table tennis team silver, the spectacular Opening Ceremony.



Although i really wanna catch this young bubbly girl by the name of Shawn Johnson in gymnastics. Before i left for field camp, she's gotten 3 silver medals with 1 event to go. Everyone wants her to win it because it will be a terrible injustice for this extremely likeable girl to walk away without a gold medal especially when she has done nothing wrong throughout the competition. Put another gymnast in her position and she will definitely drown in disappointment. However she did not openly reveal disappointment in her 3 silver medal appearances, but instead she gave hugs and kisses to her rivals, who she'd beat routinely in the past but strikes timely while having a perfect day at the Olympics, and gave assuring and comforting hugs to her underperforming teammate who'd denied her a gold. Such is the sportsmanship and character that eludes most athletes out there but Shawn Johnson has nothing to hide. So of course all fairness came into play and she finally saved many breaking hearts out there (which will really break if she misses out on a gold again) by winning in her last event. Thats so wonderful.



vin

i'm so thankful to the Lord for enabling me to survive the 6 days in tekong.

Its been really tough, i remember the last night (>24 hours ago) when i was shivering and suffering out there, being drenched and all freezing up, and i was desparately in need of some heat. However coz we weren't allowed to set up even a small flame, me and my guys just had to bear with it in what seemed to be the longest night. Really makes me wonder what if the body of a soldier really succumb to chills.

my foot is in the worst condition ever in my army life. i dunno what happened but its swollen, red, battered and sore with red patches holding back the flesh. I couldn't even walk/stand properly yesterday after the field camp. it was like stepping on needles after each step. I can't bend my toes now but i can still walk la this morning, just slower than usual.

thank God for being my strength and being with me both in the good and bad times. Thank God for watching over me. I know i couldn't have survived it without Him.

vin

my 'holiday' period is drawing to a close.

But thank God for good relaxing times which i've enjoyed. I've caught as many movies this month as the past 6 months. I've went for a good buffet at Carousel and thats another thing done in my 'i hope to do this during my holiday' list. Spent some time outside camp with my guys, and fellow commanders. many sessions of marvelling at the fireworks.

the these 2 days the exhilarating action in Beijing has gotten me totally glued to the tv. I've watched the chinese gymnastics teams vault and twist their way to gold, upstaging the Americans in some heartstopping action; the unstoppable Phelps blowing his rivals away in the pool; the chinese dominating the other end of Water Cube in diving; again the chinese powered their way to the 6 gold medals so far in weightlifting. I've witnessed so many world records tumbling at such disrespectful ease.

now its almost over for me.
vin

Beijing 2008

a quickie, and once again i'm writing off my mind.

Olympic action has gone into full swing now, and over at the Water Cube (Aquatic Center) where pool related events are held (with the exception of water polo), world records and Olympic records are tumbling like pins in a bowling game. Its incredible, when early this morning 6 relay teams went under the previous world record, with the winning team shaving 4 seconds off the previous mark. Thats not all, the records are even rewritten in the evening heats. My goodness, this is really crazy. It kinda makes me wonder:

1. when will all the breaking of the world records come to a halt. i.e. you know the point that no amount of technology put into the swimsuit that provides an extra propeller to the swimmer can actually make the swimmer go any faster, or just that we've finally reached the cap for a human to cover this amount of distance in a quickest time possible.

2. how unjustified the glory of the previous holders of world records. For some, their records are longstanding, like for years and decades, but with the sudden introduction of the new swimsuits, their glory is shortlived, erased to make it seem like a slow timing of the past. Oh ya, you know, its down to minutes now that the records are actually broken and broken again. Incredulous right.

I watched the Opening Ceremony on 080808. Its undeniably the best opening ceremony of any games ever. EVER. Everything, from the start to the end, was a WOW moment. Impressive throughout. I waited patiently for Team Singapore's turn to parade. haha... i arrived at Simpang Bedok at 915pm and contingents were already coming out, my friend and I ordered food, finished our food, ordered more food, finished more food, yet we still couldn't catch Team Singapore. My friend's patience was wearing thin (after seeing Dominica, Kiribati, Cayman Islands, Tuvalu, USA walk by) but i refused to budge, and eventually they came out at 11pm.

right. China is looking pretty on top of the medal standings, and i'm happy that there's so much action captured on tv, and i'm very sad that i'll miss the later half of the Olympics because my crazy tune-up to 2nd evaluation(coming October) is starting next Monday.

vin

a good buffet

today was a fabulous day.

Staff meeting in the morning, dozed off at Esplanade library while killing time, met a christian student to pray with him as his prelims starts tomorrow, Carousel buffet dinner, and movie to end the day.

finally i went to have a good buffet other than Seoul Garden. FINALLY.

Doha rewind.

i do have this penchant for desserts, or chocolate.

the rich fountain of erupting chocolate. they do have very good cakes too! while my friends are downing oysters after oysters until the point when i see oysters swimming in their tummies, i helped (stuffed) myself generously to their desserts, hot and cold - chocolate mousse, bread & butter pudding, pineapple crumble +++++

after that we went to the same cinema where we split up to watch different shows. haha... the show i chose to watch -Wedding Daze was so stupid. well, i wanted to watch something light, shallow, funny, silly. The Wedding Daze fit that billing, except that its not so funny. Its not bimbotically humorous, witty humor is nowhere to be seen. Its just so so stupid. thankfully i paid only $6 for the show.

vin

just back from the movies. again! yay, sort of living a life of a movie buff lately. and guess what someone just requested a song from High School Musical over the radio now.

Went to watch the Mummy, it was a nice show. Nothing much to think about, just follow lor. I love the Chinese elements in the show. haha, its a fusion commonly seen these days. But Michelle Yeoh can be more natural in her lines. She looks really old, but beautiful in her sorceress role. The fighting scenes were forgettable and just doesn't cut it, there're better ones out there. Other than that, haha... just follow lor.

i've been eating a lot lately. anything i wish to eat, i'll just eat. The thought of the tough trainings lined up after NDP...

the countdown to the Olympics is down to a week! goodness. goodness. I'm excited, even though i'm in the army. will China pip USA in the medal standings this time? Will Singapore bring home a medal?
vin