Daryl

Back from a long break

2008-05-07T03:56:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't blogged for a long time. And Chris has been bugging me to blog. Alright, this one's for Chris then. I do enjoy blogging but it's just that I have been really busy and tired since the start of this year. And when I finally do have time to spare, I end up just collapsing in bed or staring at the computer screen watching Henin play for the umpteenth time. I do need (and appreciate) a reminder every now and then because sometimes I just forget that blogging is a fun way to relax. So today marks the end of physics SPA, having completed Skill A. It went well although I don't see the point in having such an exam at all if you know what I mean. Quite relieved that I won't have to bother about SPA anymore.

During civics, our class finally decided on the design for our class T-shirt. I have to say though that I'm disappointed. After waiting for more than one year, our class T-shirt is going to display superior artistic quality. The design is that of a stick-man! Each one of us is going to have a different stick-man (customised design). I'm impressed. I wonder how old we are, maybe 10. The worst thing is that the class waited so long to have this shirt, like since the middle of last year. I don't see why Francis can't get our class to pay for the shirt. If Aston can get us to pay for class fund, then why can't Francis get everyone to pay for the shirt? Based on the time we've left, I don't think it's worth to have a class shirt anymore (much less one with stick-man as the design). I was suggesting to Francis, "I think the design should be that of an old man." I don't know, by the time the shirt is ready I think the cows would have died. Well, I can only make the best out of the shirt, by wasting my time designing my stick-man. Maybe I can design one holding a tennis racket. Hahaha. I'm also pissed with my tennis coach but I shan't illustrate anymore unpleasant stuff in this post.

Mighty Henin wins a total of 10 titles this year! This post is dedicated to her. =)

2007-11-14T02:25:00.000-08:00

It has been long since I blogged about tennis and the WTA season this year has just ended. Justine Henin won the final tournament of the year which is the Sony Ericsson Championships. This is undoubtedly her best year, with a total of 10 titles under her belt and not forgetting retaining the World No. 1 ranking for 90 weeks and counting. In my latest tennis post, she won the Roger's Cup. This post will cover her remaining victories of the year.

After winning the Roger's Cup in Toronto, Justine Henin won the US Open which she claimed to be probably the best win of the year. She was in superb form throughout the entire tournament, defeating both Serena (7-6, 6-1) and Venus Williams (7-6, 6-4) consecutively in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. She took the title after trouncing Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-3.

Next, Henin won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. She defeated Tatiana Golovin 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the finals and won a Porsche.

Henin was stretched in the semi-finals of the Zurich Open by in-form Nicole Vaidisova. She lost the first set but broke back in the second and third sets, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Henin went on to defeat Tatiana Golovin in the final 6-4, 6-4.

Henin's final title of the year was the Madrid Masters, a rather prestigious tournament. All the matches were a breeze for her except the final match against Maria Sharapova who was in her top form after a long break due to a shoulder injury. Sharapova played better in the first set, but Henin managed to turn things around in the second set and took the third set easily. Final score: 5-7, 7-5, 6-3. This is the second time in a row Henin has won the Madrid Masters.

What an incredible season it has been for Henin!

PW is finally over!

2007-11-12T02:39:00.001-08:00

Well, what can I say? The oral presentation was pretty good. I think my group handled the Q&A quite well. And of course with the numerous practices we went through, our presentation was rather good. I'm just happy it's all over.

The class chalet was really boring. The gloomy weather wasn't helping either. I think my class is full of gaming addicts who simply don't mind spending all day in the chalet playing Xbox. Oh well. I actually got sick of it on the second day so I didn't want to go back there at night after I finished settling some stuff at home. The first day was the most interesting day if you can even call it interesting. It was so exciting that I nearly fell asleep. Basically they played Xbox most of the time and I joined in for a few games so that I wouldn't be deemed as a spoilsport. At night they rented a dvd so we did manage to watch a show. But that was all! Ridiculous. I mean I'm not trying to be mean or what but really these people are freaking boring. You see, a class chalet doesn't have to be like a tour of Singapore or what not. It doesn't have to be like hiking, sightseeing, climbing the mountain, or scuba diving. It's not so much about how brilliant the activities are, but rather whether there is a variety of them. For my class, they practically spent all the time playing two stupid games on the Xbox! Can you believe it?! For the class chalets that I have attended in the past, apart from the usual barbeque, we got to ride bicycles, catch a movie in the cinema, bowl, play card games, go to Escape theme park, etc. Granted, these are not fascinating at all, but at least there is a variety of activities so that our minds wouldn't zone out. Mind you they were fun. And what did my class do this time? Nothing! Zilch man. Apart from the bbq and the Xbox, there wasn't anything else. In order for a chalet to be fun, there has got to be a flow of activities. Doesn't have to be a lot either, but at least there must be some movement, and not staring at the bloody screen and jamming the buttons like zombies. And the fact is, they don't realise it. They do feel bored but they don't give a shit. Nobody gives a shit! Ya, it's boring but so what? We ain't doing nothin but who cares? Then another thing is they are not open to ideas. Not one bit. Me: "Hey want to play tennis?" Someone: "Don't want lah." Me: "Do you want to cycle?" Someone: "Not now right." Me: "Wanna watch a movie?" Someone: " But there's nothing nice to watch." Oh f*** it man! What is wrong with these people?! Some of them do feel bored but they just don't want to do something different; they rather tag along with the majority. I'm not saying they can't play Xbox, but for heaven's sake not the whole day right! If I were to play tennis the whole day and if I had the power to force these people to accompany me, I bet they wouldn't be able to take it either. That's what I'm trying to say. They didn't even spare a thought for me. Just because the games appeal to them doesn't mean they interest me. Furthermore I'm not against it. I just want some variety. That's all. I guess I'm disappointed. I know I don't share the same interests as these guys. I do hope I have a group of people in my class who shares the same interests as me, then it wouldn't be so miserable. There just happens to be this huge group in class (girls and guys) who enjoy all these virtual games. And its like when they talk about it I don't understand what they're talking about. Then when I talk about tennis to Hwee Geok (who follows the game) and they happen to be around me, they'll say, "Tennis again..." or "urghh...". To hell with them! You can talk about your f***ing computer game but I can't talk about my tennis! That day I was in the library with them and they spent the whole time talking about computer games. Simply superb!

Pw and more pw!

2007-10-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

It's been such a long time since I last blogged. Needless to say, it's because of that irritating pw. After the 5th of November (next Monday), I'll be free again, at least for some time that is. Till then, blogging will be placed on the side bench. I don't know, it seems that everybody hates pw. To think of it, 50% of the conflicts that arise in my class are actually related to pw. You can imagine how much trouble pw causes. Without it, our lives would be considerably easier. The reason why pw can wreck havoc in a seemingly bonded class is very simple. If there were no pw, we wouldn't have to really work together as a team to produce something at the end. The fact is the kind of interaction involved among people (the very nature in which projects are carried out) and the shared workload and what not often bring out and highlight our true colours. In other words, pw kind of showcases the negative aspects of people's characters, which wouldn't have been emphasised under normal circumstances. We are more or less placed in the limelight, where group members scrutinise one another's actions. Moreover, in pw there are bound to be miscommunication and these can turn out pretty ugly. I guess pw does involve unnecessary negative emotions. Well, we're all looking at the big picture though - it's an 'A' Level exam. If there's one thing we have to learn from pw, it's got to be looking forward and not giving up, even if we're faced with fierce and unpleasant tussles with our group members. After a quarrel with an unreasonable member, we forget about it and when the next meeting arrives, we just pretend as if nothing ever happened. Sounds controlled? That's the way it is - we're controlling for our sake.

I don't want to grow old

2007-09-06T03:38:00.000-07:00

Thinking back, I just realised how time flies. In no time, I'll be in the army and after which, the university. And soon, I'll be just like my father. It's scary when you think about the future, with endless possibilities ahead of you. How I wish life can just freeze at this point in time. I'm happy now; I don't want to grow old. I like it just as it is. But of course time doesn't freeze. Unfortunately. I can't imagine the fact that I'll be on my own when I start working. There seems to be this sense of loneliness and emptiness that awaits me when it's my turn to face the world. I guess I'm worried. I'm not being paranoid though. I mean this was a reality check for me. All these while, people have been talking about their aspirations and what not, but fail to realise that it's not going to be as smooth a journey as they think. I'm not saying it's wrong to dream and think big. What I'm saying is that sometimes, when you spend a few minutes thinking about the future, you start to see that it's pretty much ambiguous. In other words, there is uncertainty, anything could happen at all. Oh well, life's like that. I'll just have to do my part and hope for the best. I guess that's what we all have to do.

Justine Henin claims 6th Title of the Year (Rogers Cup)

2007-08-23T04:03:00.000-07:00

On 19 August (one day after my birthday), Justine Henin took the Rogers Cup, defeating Jelena Jankovic 7-6, 7-5. It was a struggle but Henin managed to come out on top. Jankovic started out better leading 4-1 in the first set but Henin broke back and took the match in two sets. A nice birthday present for me. =) I like Henin's outfit. She looks good in red.

Back to blogging

2007-08-23T03:34:00.000-07:00

To all my friends: sorry for not blogging for such a long time; I was really too busy. At a particular point in time on the week of my birthday, I actually forgot that it was going to be my birthday. Can you believe it?! Just shows how busy I was. Now at least I can breathe a little. So birthday's over, I got my new racket - a Wilson nCode nFury =) I really like it! When I used it the first time, I couldn't get used to the feel but by the second time, I got used to it. What can I say but it feels great! And it's a beauty. Instead of describing how it looks like, I shall show you a picture.

Such a nice shade of blue. Hahaha. My father's taste is never to be doubted. Thank you daddy! Oh and thank you Angel for your wonderful birthday card!

(P.S. my racket looks like Henin's racket except that it's blue.)

Wonder if she's doing fine

2007-08-01T03:32:00.000-07:00

I'm worried for Yj. =( I don't know, she seems to have problems getting along with her class. And it's affecting her, I can feel it, I don't need her to tell me that. But it's difficult for me to advise her because I'm not in her class, as such I can't really access the situation. But one thing I can do is to encourage her and be a listening ear. She feels that she is not accepted, in fact she feels ostracised. Then I asked her why she is ostracised because I don't see why people should spontaneously ostracise her for no rhyme or reason. It must have been something she did. She told me she tends to be annoying when friendly and would say a lot of nonsense that might irritate people. Perhaps she should rethink about doing what she usually does to people whom she's not close to. And it'd help if she tones down that ego. Having said that, it's impossible to please everyone, but at least get a couple of buddies. Right now she seems to have no friend within the class or at least that's how she feels. I think she should learn to appreciate her classmates because maybe they don't feel her warmth. In everything you do, if you show your sincerity and let them know that you really appreciate them, I'm sure they'll see your motive as genuine even though you are being yourself. If there is warmth within you, it will radiate from you and spread to those around you. No matter how it comes out, whether fierce, stern, cheeky, jumpy, anxious, etc, it will still be felt. It's not so much about how loud you are; there are quiet people who are just as kind. So why not show them what you're worth. If there is someone whom you find particularly difficult to get along with, you may want to reflect if it is worth your effort to rebuild this relationship. What is most important is that it cannot be the case where if this person hates you then the whole class hates you. You must find some buddies within the class for support or else life is going to be very miserable. Anyway, when you feel down, just remember that you have buddies outside of class! =)

No Form

2007-08-01T03:15:00.000-07:00

Monday's training was atrocious! I was suffering from a complete lack of form. Kept hitting the ball out, judgement was screwed. I either took the ball too near or too far away from me, making me look awkward and unstable. Shit! I hate these kind of trainings. I was really clumsy at the net too. The coach criticised me for being too stiff. Thanks man. The more balls I hit the more discouraged I became, I mean it's always the case when you keep making mistakes. Chris experienced the same problem as me during soccer training on Monday. I think it's partly due to the stress and of course a lack of practice on my part. I was seriously considering asking my father not to buy me a new tennis racket for my birthday which is coming soon. He had no idea what to buy for me so he asked me and I had requested for a Wilson tennis racket. But what's the use if I can't even play properly. It's not cheap you know, probably about 150 bucks. One more training to decide. Daryl, if you can't play properly next Monday, you can forget about the tennis racket! I'm just frustrated! I mean it's like I could play so well last week. Why the inconsistency? Arghh!!!

2007-07-27T03:18:00.000-07:00

Been quite emo these few days. No idea why. And I think the gloomy weather is adding to the feeling. But no time to think about that; I'm just too busy. I think max really needs an ego boost. She has no confidence about herself, but actually I don't have a right to comment because I have no confidence myself either. Well, I guess we're facing the same problem. Sigh. Fortunately we have a bunch of friends who are very fun-loving. Oh and I can't wait for the class T-shit, House T-shirt and Tennis T-shirt. Currently, I have a shortage of shirts.

I'm so afraid I won't be able to continue with NYAA Gold. Yesterday, my mum was prompting me to withdraw. In December we are planning to go to Chiang Rai for CIP. Apart from the danger of dengue, my mum mentioned that she plans to organise a tour to Melbourne or somewhere during that period of time. So obviously the timing might clash with the CIP trip. I told Wen Guang and he said he was considering doing a local-based CIP just for me. Can you imagine, he is willing to forgo the Chiang Rai trip just for me! Of course it also saves a lot of trouble and planning. I hope they do a local one then I won't have to withdraw from NYAA Gold. See, so many things to worry about.

22/07's birthday

2007-07-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

Francis sent the class an sms saying, "Happy B-day 22/07!". HAHAHA today's date is 22/7/07 so it's my class's birthday. Damn funny. Not celebrating though.

More Than I Could Ever Dream Of

And my God will
meet all your needs
according to His glorious
riches in Christ Jesus.

- Philippians 4:19

God gives me everything
I need and much,
much more - more
than I could ever dream of,
more than I
could ever ask.

I came across this card my father gave me months ago. Sometimes I have to constantly remind myself this. Come to think of it, God has given me a lot and there are some things only He can provide. I'm really grateful to Him.

Boring Life

2007-07-19T02:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, I shall not talk about tennis, at least not for now. Or else every entry will be about tennis. The thing is that life is so boring so that's why sometimes I need tennis news to perk me up. But as promised, I shall not talk about tennis. Haha. Today's econs test was horrible! I didn't get to study at all, not even read the notes. I mean when I came back yesterday it was so late and I was dead tired so I couldn't get myself to stay awake after dinner. At 9 pm, I was on pg 7 reading the first few lines. At 10 pm, I was still on pg 7 reading the next few lines. At 11 pm, I was still on pg 7. At 1 am, I finally finished pg 7. You can imagine - I was struggling to keep awake. Failed duh. So what to do? Go to sleep at 1 am when I could have slept at like 9. Completely wasted my energy. It's not that I didn't want to study. I tell you, the feeling when I sat for the test was like a primary 6 pupil sitting for an econs test! I didn't know a shit! Oh and I realised something about this school. The teachers always tell us in advance about any test so that we have no excuse for not studying. But it's actually a trick. The fact is that whether they inform us in advance or not, we will still not have enough time to study for the tests simply because we have lots of other homework to complete. Arghh! I feel so drained. I have lost all the enthusiasm and 'fire' I possessed at the start of the term. I mean there's so many things to worry about like problems with the class, problems with teachers and problems with results. You know at the start of the year I always looked forward to going to school every day. It's like I'll just jump out of bed willingly when the alarm clock rings. Now, when the alarm clock rings I will frown and force myself to get out of bed. Seriously, the only thing I look forward to every week is just tennis trainings. Oops. So when Monday is over, I practically dread the rest of the week. Sigh. Fortunately, they are finding another day where we can have a second training within a week. What a relief! Now I can look forward to two out of the five working days. Oh ya, didn't tell you why I came home so late yesterday. I had to do av duty for house com investiture rehearsal. Ended at 6. I was so sleepy when I reached home. Sigh.

Justine Henin claims Eastbourne International title

2007-07-02T03:45:00.000-07:00

It has been such a long time since I last blogged but I have to tell you something about tennis again. Just after the French Open (clay court), Justine Henin took the Eastbourne International (grass court) in her title sweep, beating Amelie Mauresmo 7-5, 6-7, 7-6 in a nail-biting match. This test will be useful for Wimbledon which is also on grass. It takes a while to get used to grass after playing on clay. Clay is the sport's slowest surface.

Under the typically heavy onshore winds in the seaside town of Eastbourne, this year's final looked to be about which player had better control over handling the rougher North end of the court. The signs didn't look promising for Justine in the first set as she battled in practically all of her games against the wind for placement of her immaculate shots. The more physical style of Mauresmo didn't fare any better than Henin in the gusty conditions, and the Frenchwoman's serves were slightly more vulnerable in the latter stages. Justine took the first set 7-5 by breaking, and standing stronger from 1-4 down.

Mauresmo took a more cautious approach in the second set, and chose to utilize the safe, and secure volleys simply blocking returns as Justine started to go astray with her higher risk, and low margin shot making. Belgian percision simply didn't work well against French stability. Mauremo won the second set with a confident tiebreak display as Justine made a tactical change too late after falling behind and saving four set tiebreak points at 4-7.

The match went into a lower gear in the start of the third set as both players held serves without much resistence until Mauresmo looked to have taken over with a deja vu of last year's Wimbledon final in a 2-4 lead. But a very different Justine emerged, one that's less removed from 2006 and more in tuned to the classic spirited fighting 2003 tennis season version. Justine levelled things at 5-5. The gauntlet was again thrown down with another tiebreaker, but this one was all Henin as she again changed tactics and went back to the hyper aggressive rapid passing shots, and crosscourt winners mode. This switch in plans by Justine left Mauresmo stranded and off guard up at the net in the midsts of following through with volleys. Justine won the tiebreaker 7-2.

What a beautiful volley!

Justine Henin claims the French Open

2007-06-10T04:29:00.000-07:00

Justine Henin has become the first woman in 15 years to win the French Open women's title three years in a row. In the final yesterday, Henin trashed Ivanovic 6-1, 6-2, extending her Open era record-winning streak at Roland Garros to 35 consecutive sets. The 65-minute match ended as Henin closed out the victory with a skillful forehand volley, then flipped her racket, buried her head in her hands, leaned on the net and exhaled. 19-year-old Ivanovic, who managed to beat the Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova (World No 2 and 3 respectively) en route to the final, held hopes of providing competition for Henin. The signs were encouraging initially, when she blasted a forehand winner down the line to open the final and broke Henin's serve when the Belgian double-faulted on break point. But as it turned out, that was the only time she led. Soon the unforced errors came in flurries. She got a little nervous and couldn't control her serve. Henin kept up the pressure in the second set with a vast repertoire that ranged from delicate backhands to overhead smashes. Ivanovic, who was playing her first Grand Slam final, was simply overpowered. With 6 Grand Slam crowns, Henin has surpassed Venus Williams and Martina Hingis, only trailing behind Serena Williams' eight among active women. She is also the first top-seeded woman to win the French Open since Steffi Graf in 1996. What amazing figures she has piled up as a result of her skill and determination!

Belgian Dynamo in 2007 French Open

2007-06-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

The matches leading to the quarter-finals were very much a breeze for two-time defending champion and world No 1 Justine Henin. She was expecting a tough match for her quarter-finals against Serena Williams. However on Tuesday, the Belgian brushed Williams aside and advanced into the semi-finals with an easy 6-4, 6-3 victory. Henin kept Williams on the move with versatile shot-making. The American was powerless, as Henin extended her Open era record-winning streak at Roland Garros to 31 consecutive sets. Once again, Williams was less than gracious after a loss and refused to credit Henin. "All she had to do was show up," Williams said. "I just pretty much stood back and let her take advantage of me." "I was just making all the errors and just playing like a maniac." The Belgian felt otherwise and thought she did a good job in controlling the match. To say that Serena is a person with huge ego is an understatement. During the match she slammed her racket to the clay when she lost important points. Her post-match comments were as sour as ever!

In the semi-finals yesterday (Thursday), Henin demolished in form Jelena Jankovic with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Such skill indeed! =) She prevented an all-Serbian final. Jankovic's compatriot, Serbian teen sensation Ana Ivanovic fared much better, beating error-plagued second seed Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-1. Ivanovic will now face Henin in the final. Go Henin!

PS: Jelena Jankovic looks really weird - almost creature-like.

AV Camp

2007-06-05T03:46:00.000-07:00

AV Camp was relaxing and I have to say that I enjoyed it except the last part. We broke camp before lunch and they went to Hans River to eat but I couldn't join them because I had something on. Initially there was supposed to be a barbeque in the evening, but they scraped the idea since everyone was tired and the small manpower meant that we had to spend a long time cleaning up after the barbeque. But if I had my way I would have insisted they had the barbeque. I don't know, I just feel that a barbeque can really bond everyone together with all the interaction and teamwork. But anyway, the camp was still fun. Arghh! Need to rush off, don't have the time to write much.

Henin-Hardenne fan

2007-05-29T03:28:00.000-07:00

My father gave me a Manchester United Jersey that day. It was a gift from his company but he chose the wrong size and so it is now mine. Hahaha. Needless to say it's real and would have cost a bomb. But the fact is I don't follow soccer at all. In fact, I know nothing of it. Daddy was commenting that if someone were to come up to me and ask, "Are you a Man U fan?", I'd most probably reply, "No, I'm a Henin-Hardenne fan." Haha, right you are daddy! Justine Henin-Hardenne is my favourite woman tennis player. And I'm utterly happy that she's No. 1 in the world! Her one-handed backhand is simply formidable. At 1.66m, she is shorter than most of her rivals and it is a combination of skill, determination and consistency that has ensured her domination in the WTA for quite some time. Some time last year she was overtaken by Maria Sharapova and now she has made a comeback. As what Rimiko said, she is "tiny but powerful" and for that I admire her.

2007 Dubai Open

2007 Warsaw Open

The June Hols are here =) (so are the exams) =(

2007-05-29T03:05:00.000-07:00

It has been such a long time since I blogged. Sigh. I guess it's the workload. The holidays are finally here! I can take a breath at last, but not a big one, just a tiny one. It feels kinda weird because in secondary school we're supposed to be free at this time of the year, but now we have to study for the JCTs which are at the end of the month. So we actually have to balance between work and play which is really irritating! I can't rest in peace. But I have to take a break if not my mind will just go bonkers. What can I do? Rest and study at the same time! That's going to be the first time I'm trying out this method. Just hope it works and efficiency is maintained at its maximum. Oh dear, I feel so helpless all of a sudden. I haven't been passing all the tests. Arghh! It's ok, I'll be able to make it with God's help. =)

Just a little poem

2007-05-03T03:03:00.000-07:00

Ball Feeding

The Ball. Leaves his racket.
Bright. Brilliant. Bold. green.
Your eyes. Follow its movement.
Fixing. Focusing.
An invisible tunnel exists
Between you and
The Ball. Shielding everything but
The Ball
Wait.
It's crossing the net.
GO!
A moment's hesitation. You
Shuffle towards
The Ball reaches the ground
Heading past. You
Rush the swing. Racket
Hooks The Ball at the tip.
It goes out.
NO! I WANT TO SEE THAT
EARLY PREPARATION!
Another One. Leaves his racket.
Shuffling, you move into position.
Turning, you prepare your swing.
Sizing up the ball, you call your play.
In one fluid motion you release the energy conserved.
Thud.
Sweet spot hits the ball squarely,
Propelling it in a beautiful arc,
Over the net.
YES. THAT'S RIGHT!
Your smile. That sense of satisfaction.

Daryl

Haha, I wrote this poem yesterday (the day before econs test). Obviously, I received some inspiration and decided on penning my thoughts down rather than reading about monopoly and all that shit. Hope you like it. =)

Tennis @ TJ

2007-04-03T03:39:00.000-07:00

Tennis trainings in tj are fun! Here, we are taught by qualified coaches, unlike in mj where a teacher who knows how to play tennis taught us. That basically explains why we have to pay $250 for the whole year. But I feel it's worth it because we learn the proper techniques. For a start, we learnt how to do a smooth swing with our racket while dropping a ball in front and to the side of our leading toe and hitting the ball against the fence. This static drill is pretty easy as the ball lands where you want it to since you are controlling it. But when the coach feeds you the ball from the other side of the net, you realise that judgement plays an important part because you can't expect the ball to land where you want it to. In other words, you'll have to move. This may sound easy but it isn't actually. If you get too near to the ball, you can hardly perform a full graceful swing. Relative velocity explains the fact that when you move towards the ball, it will reach you faster since it is also moving towards you. So while being engrossed in hitting the ball, one may become unconscious about one's swing and may forget to bend the shoulder or even use badminton strokes in an attempt to hit the ball (which makes it particularly awful). As such the coach actually advised us on perfecting our virtual swing - nevermind even if you miss the ball. The swing is a pre-requisite. Once the swing becomes second nature, judgement will automatically fall in place because one doesn't have to be conscious of the swing anymore. Cool! I totally get it. It's just that I need more frequent trainings. Two hours per week isn't going to be enough. Well, I guess I'll have to practise with my father during weekends. It helps that I really enjoy the game. I'm sure I'll get the feel of it soon. =)

Life in tjc

2007-03-29T04:26:00.000-07:00

My permanent timetable ends pretty late. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays end at 4.40pm. Sigh, the stress is amounting. Second intakers in tj have lots to catch up with, apart from the current on-going lessons. At the end of every day, my classmates (whether first intakers or not) experience a somewhat viscous saturation of the mind. Painful is the feeling to such an extent that we don't really know what to feel. Perhaps numb is the word to describe it. I guess I'll get used to it after a while.

TJC. For College For Nation. =)

2007-03-29T03:49:00.000-07:00

You know, I don't really give a damn about what others say about tj. To say that I enjoy tj is simply an understatement. What appals me is that some people can openly criticise tj when it's actually their school. Calling it a "shit hole with shit (students) stuck in it" is a ridiculously inaccurate metaphor especially when someone knows that transferring out of it is practically a dead end. Of course I don't expect every one's love for tj to be as strong as mine, but since one has no choice about remaining in tj, one should seriously think twice about mocking oneself. And don't do it in front of me lest you incur my wrath.

Cars

2007-03-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Nissan Latio GTI

This is the racing version of my father's car. Really cool.