I was *trying* to study when I was interrupted by the blaring sirens from the Home Team (I did not know which vehicle it belonged to then). Because my neighbourhood has always been peaceful and the past few times the Home Team came they were all prank calls, I did not bother to look out of the window.

Later as I was brewing a nice hot cup of thick coffee (fine. It was a3-1 coffee bag.) I glanced out of the window to see an ambulance and a fire truck coming in. Very closely behind were two police cars. Taking note of the sirens earlier on, I have never seen so many Home Team vehicles turning into the carpark before.

Then two more civil defence vehicles came in. And people were starting to gather. W

My mum decided that something must be happening, and because the action happened out of view from our kitchen window, my mum went down to take a look. I did not want to appear as kaypoh, so I declined to follow her down.

Curiosity kills the cat, in the end I decided to be a good citizen of Singapore and show my concern for my neighbours, so I went down too. Heh.

Down at the scene an area has been cordoned off by the police, and I counted a grand total of 11 Home Team vehicles parked everywhere. A..don't know what's that called, the big thing which they inflate to break falls that thing (a very big inflatable squarish tilam?), was present.

So I found my mother and was told that some middle-aged Malay man wanted to jump down from his 4th storey bedroom. The guy was already gone when I reached there, guess he was already saved.

Note I did not say he wanted to commit suicide, because I don't know the reason behind his attempt to jump down. He may have wanted to commit suicide, but he may also had been locked inside the bedroom by a malfunctioned door and there's a screaming kettle outside, so he wanted to get over to the other room through the window. That I will never know.

Once the 'drama' was over some people, my mum included, went home, while I stayed to see if I can see who the guy was (I'm concerned!). But I went home when the ambulance went off empty.

That quite gave me an idea what my friends posted to the Home Team for National Service will be learning to do. People say NS with the Home Team is slack, but they are the key people in saving these people in distress, aren't they?

Good evening Mr [my name]

Your enlistment date is on 13-Apr-2007. Your reporting unit is TRAINING LIST BASIC MILITARY TRAINING CENTRE SCHOOL 1.

NOOOooOOoooOOoOooOooo!!!~

Ok la, I should be more optimistic about life. Going in April means all the more I can get a new computer and get myself ready for this:



and this:



and also this:



same one!



Going in April will also mean that I have more time to get myself ready, more time to reinstall and learn Linux, more time to learn new stuff and play around ba.

Ok my letter just came. 8am! Wtf!

I'm still kinda upset that I'm like separated from the rest. Haix.

Today I came to school in time to see the teachers strolling out of the Performance Theatre towards the concourse for refreshments. I went to the computer lab, ah, all locked. So went to the canteen to wait.

Soon after the canteen became flooded with students. It was then I realised that the students were given a full day off, and many of them were already leaving the school. Those who hanged around were deciding where to go.

But the one thing that caught my sight instead were the canteen vendors. Apparently they were unprepared for this full day off, so clearly shown on their faces were looks of loss (of what to do), worry, sadness, maybe abit of anger, and most clearly of all, 一脸的无奈.

Maybe the IP students who have a mock HMT paper later, the year 2s who have remedials throughout the day, some year 1s who stayed back for their project work, the sports students who have training, and the teachers who are still around can help soften the impact of this full day off, but seeing the (literally) mountains of dishes that the chinese food stall has prepared, it is rather obvious they will be making a big loss today.

Watching the juniors rushing out the farewell video for the principal with the teacher behind hurrying them brings back memories of me rushing the Director program for the inter-sec sch chinese current affairs quiz last year. But I enjoyed my work. I wonder do they?

The farewell video looked good, by the way. They put in alot of effort for it. Or should I say, the teacher was picky. Heh. I personally do not find a little loss in picture quality a big deal given that it will be shown on the projector before the entire school.

And where the bloody hell in this wide wide world is my letter!?!! I seriously do NOT want to go in April!

Amidst the msn nicks in my contact list that scream "Magic Day: 11 Jan 2007", "Oh boy... Magic Day: 08 Dec", "conscripted", "WHO ELSE IS POSTED TO BMTC SCHOOL 2?" there lies one which says:

"ORD LOR!"

I really should spend less time on the computer.

I'm now in iCOMP room, taking a break from my work (actually never do much also haha). The only other three persons in the lab are two juniors and one teacher, making some farewell video for the principal I think.

I have fallen victim to the haze! I am now down with a flu =( Have not had one for years. I downed tablets which made me drowsy, which explains for the lack for productivity today.

Last friday was Farewell Assembly for the Year2s. Time really flies, last year I was in the audience bading my seniors goodbye, this year I am being bade goodbye.

Farewell assembly was ok. There was a speech done by the principal, accompanied by a Powerpoint presentaton (which was nicely done as usual), a couple of videos done by Infocomm, a percussion performance (I personally find it slightly out of place, but the music was good), a skit from the house committee (heavily laced with how we won the Soccer finals), a surprise performance from the teachers, although it was mostly dancing by them, and a dedication thingy by the teachers for the students, then college anthem and mass dance to end the ceremony.

Each of us received a ring with "VJC" engraved on the outside and the motto on the inside, as a farewell gift. A series of photo-taking marked the end of all.

I hate VJC. I hate it for its obsession with Soccer. I hate it for its obsession with achievements. I hate it for its obsession with flower clocks and treehouses and greenerys. I hate it for its obsession with ripped off LT chairs and stinking toliets. I hate it for the stress.

I love VJC. I love it for the freedom and respect given to the students. I love it for its half days (and full days). I love it for the support given. I love it for all the opportunities given. I love it for the wonderful teachers. I love it for the fun and cosiness. I love it for the iCOMP room.

Haha are the 'hates' outweighing the 'loves'?

Sometimes I wonder what will have become of me if I have not chosen VJC.
If I had not chosen VJC, I would not have learnt competitive programming properly, and subsequently joining NSC and NOI. If I had not chosen VJC, I would not have done my own micromouse program (AHS days micromouse was done under the shadows of my friend). If I had not chosen VJC, I would not have met very inspiring seniors. If I had not chosen VJC, I.....how much more should I add?

(Haha, if I had not been to VJC, perhaps I would have personally known p-@-s-0-n1@.)

Two years have been way too short and hectic. There was no time to go around understanding my friends, no time to make myself understood by my friends, no time to find out what VJC really is beneath the nice impression it has created for itself.

Of course, there are things worth remembering. For example, the cakes baked by the computing teacher.

And the cries that had rung in my ears for the past two years:
Good morng mr sum!
Well done!
May the FORCE be with you.
So how?
Ask me ask me!
Where's your summary? Take out your summary! (Can interchange with "TYS")
....can identify identical who you are...

My very own civics tutor. Someone of a character I have never, ever, encountered before. The purpose behind his each and every doing is for our own good, that I can see, yet he does it in such a way we cannot comprehend. And so, I do not know how I should feel towards him.

Ya, my thoughts are in one big mess. They are. I'm unsure of myself.

I am resistent to changes. I prefer to stick to the old and known. Yes I was one of the guilty ones who stuck with my AHS friends when I first entered VJC. When the results came out, my good friends inside VJC left. Then some good friends in different JCs became classmates in the same JC. Then I became all alone.

Now, I am more or less integrated into the class. Not a bad class, I think. But... ...

During the farewell assembly an announcement was also made that our principal will be leaving; replacing her is some guy previously from HCI.

After experiencing very disappointing principals back in AHS, the VJC principal is one of the better ones I have met so far. She is one who can perfectly strike a balance between discipline and freedom. Hopefully the new principal will continue to run it her style. Or, as she calls it, continuity. I wish her well.

What a messy post. I can never get my thoughts sorted out.

I was blog-hopping around when I saw this on a senior's blog.

"I have a laptop to fix this weekend and it's the least of my problems. Why can't the rest of them be as easy to fix as the laptop? Then my life would be so much easier. It's easier to read a computer's mind than that of a human's."

That sounds quite true.

Then I saw his friend's comment.

"But unlike laptops, there are times when hope can cure humans."

That's quite true too.

I have quite alot to say. Soon.

I was surfing around when I stumbled upon the following.

http://info.channelnewsasia.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=32558&start=0

http://info.channelnewsasia.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=36371&start=0

(sorry ah i lazy to set up the link. But its just drag, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Enter.)

Its very lengthy; merely reading a few pages is enough to make me giddy, so I havent read everything yet. Because this forum is unmoderated, seemingly harmless questions have erupted into fierce arguments over whether NUS is a prestigious university or a third-rate one.

I do not have an answer to that, but I find it very amusing to read comments like "In fact in top 5 JCs, the mentality is such that we should go abroad and go to NUS only if there is really no other choice."

I'm not sure about the other "top" jcs, but from my own experiences my friends and I definitely do not see NUS as a "refuge" or "dumping ground" for Ivy-League and Oxbridge rejects. For me, no doubt an education in an overseas university sounds attractive, but that is only because studying overseas comes with the additional benefit of expanding my view of the world (till this day the only foreign country I have ever went to is Malaysia *sob*), and not because I think NUS is third-rate.

Not sure how those xJC (where x=R) and yCI (where y=H) people think though.

One point that I do take note of is the fact that NUS has not produced any Nobel Prize winners up till today, despite having a high rank amongst the world's best universities, and having state-of-the-art equipment and top professors. While I do know that I should not use this point to argue that NUS is a third-rate university, I do have to question if there is any problem with NUS' method of teaching. I have not been there yet, I cannot say anything.

But one thing for sure I do not want to go to a place where its all exams and tests and books and notes again.

Just a little opinion.