Starting work makes you grow up. You don't think about the time you have left on earth until you're faced with deadlines on a daily basis. You don't think of how much money you have to make until you've got so much to be responsible for. You don't think of how much you're doing until you realise there's so much more you can do.
So sometimes when you're trapped in reality, you become selfish, believing that you deserve the best, that sacrifices aren't important, that you're more important than everything else, every ideal and being righteous. In place of that is an endless hunger and drive to have it all. It manifests itself as insatiable greed.
I was quite affected by the two pieces of news today. I remind myself that corruption gets you nowhere and money buys the least in life. Everything of value is everything you've learned to cherish.
The happiest moments have been doing great things, for others. The most memorable ones were the ones I spent with people I cared about. Fame and fortune is fun, but they can never compare to being contented, cared for, understood and togetherness.
Just like yesterday, when the four of us looked back and reminisced about FOC being the best time of our uni lives...
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Silver, Finally
I had a rude shock when I realised that I had two weeks left to take my IPPT. The horrible, horrible rule, where you had to take it three months before your birthday, just kicked in. I've never had to book sessions or do anything for it. I've always done it during ICT. This time it was different. Scary even. I went online to book the test at Khatib, a camp that I have never been to before!
Thankfully it turned out well. My nemesis, the standing board jump, was swiftly defeated. In fact, it was my first station. I just might have left for home if I lost the battle instead, but thankfully, things went my way. Even the slightly faulty censor chin-up bar couldn't get me down. No count? I'll do another. And another. I'll do it till I get 5 points because I've been getting 5 points since I've taken IPPT do you hear?! Sit-ups were a bit nonsense though. I did 30 in 30 seconds and spent the next 30 doing 10. How lame is that?
The 2.4 could have been worse. My legs were aching terribly after training on Thursday, but surprisingly, running on the track was incredibly easy. The distance felt so short! Not that I did it in a great time of course, but for someone who woke up every Saturday to run for an hour, 12 minutes is nothing!
And that's how I got my first Silver in close to half a decade. Granted, it's the first time I'm Cat Y, but I've shaved almost 30 seconds from my previous 2.4, improved on my SBJ, and consistently beat the crap out of the other 3 stations.
Huge thank you to my best supporter - James. Couldn't have done it without him. It was great to see someone familiar in such a horribly foreign environment. Glad we conquered IPPT together.
Thankfully it turned out well. My nemesis, the standing board jump, was swiftly defeated. In fact, it was my first station. I just might have left for home if I lost the battle instead, but thankfully, things went my way. Even the slightly faulty censor chin-up bar couldn't get me down. No count? I'll do another. And another. I'll do it till I get 5 points because I've been getting 5 points since I've taken IPPT do you hear?! Sit-ups were a bit nonsense though. I did 30 in 30 seconds and spent the next 30 doing 10. How lame is that?
The 2.4 could have been worse. My legs were aching terribly after training on Thursday, but surprisingly, running on the track was incredibly easy. The distance felt so short! Not that I did it in a great time of course, but for someone who woke up every Saturday to run for an hour, 12 minutes is nothing!
And that's how I got my first Silver in close to half a decade. Granted, it's the first time I'm Cat Y, but I've shaved almost 30 seconds from my previous 2.4, improved on my SBJ, and consistently beat the crap out of the other 3 stations.
Huge thank you to my best supporter - James. Couldn't have done it without him. It was great to see someone familiar in such a horribly foreign environment. Glad we conquered IPPT together.
Saturday, June 09, 2012
Speaking for 300
I'm not a natural at public speaking.
In fact I was this awkward kid, who loved people, but was scared to talk to them.
Fast forward a couple of years, when I got to Sembawang Secondary School, and I got the chance to be the emcee for our school's official opening. It was a grand event, one attended by our current President, Dr Tony Tan. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please rise as our guest-of-honour, Dr Tony Tan...," I said in my best speaking-to -important-people's voice. My English teacher was the one who picked me and she'd give me lessons on how to speak. We went into the art and science of it - pauses and intonation - speaking with feeling, with meaning and getting people's attention.
I loved it.
I was still awkward of course. I get nervous in front of a crowd. My voice was trained and if you heard me, you'd never think I was nervous, but one look at my body language you could see I was uncomfortable. Slowly, in Junior College, I sort of grew up, and started to grasp who I was and what I stood for. I became a bit more sure of myself.
Fast forward to last Thursday, when there was a town-hall meeting with the management. It was more of a gathering, with close to 300 employees in attendance and we kicked off the programme with a presentation I prepared. Needless to say it was not very well-rehearsed as I was responsible for other parts of the event. I was busy as hell. Other than scribbling a few words here and there... I really could have done more!
But you know, when the time comes, you've just got to do it! I knew some key ingredients - I had to be myself, have a personality. It's okay to be nervous, I was even comfortable enough to express it. (There was a point where I garbled "memorable" and then corrected myself before asking everyone to excuse me because I was ridiculously nervous.)It's a way of getting the audience to relate. Of course, I used my best voice, the only thing I was most confident of. I interacted with a few key people, taking them by surprise, for which I publicly apologised but it made it more entertaining and engaging. I got a few awkward moments as well (something I've never completely shaken off). For that I'm glad I have a bad memory cos I don't cringe that much when I think back at the entire experience. The segment was the company's proudest moments and there was rather generous applause most of the time. I'm glad that the audience got it. I'm glad I had a chance to do it because the only way to get better at speaking is by doing it often.
During refreshments I went around and spoke to some familiar faces and I was really touched by their kind words. Needless to say I enjoy hearing good things about myself, but having people from interns to managers expressing similar sentiments about how they enjoyed the presentation really made everything worth it! There were warm smiles and warm handshakes all around. For me it's a huge highlight, a milestone at work and something I'd love to continue doing.
I was only half-joking when I told a colleague that this was a great way to prepare for my next job as a DJ. ;)
In fact I was this awkward kid, who loved people, but was scared to talk to them.
Fast forward a couple of years, when I got to Sembawang Secondary School, and I got the chance to be the emcee for our school's official opening. It was a grand event, one attended by our current President, Dr Tony Tan. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please rise as our guest-of-honour, Dr Tony Tan...," I said in my best speaking-to -important-people's voice. My English teacher was the one who picked me and she'd give me lessons on how to speak. We went into the art and science of it - pauses and intonation - speaking with feeling, with meaning and getting people's attention.
I loved it.
I was still awkward of course. I get nervous in front of a crowd. My voice was trained and if you heard me, you'd never think I was nervous, but one look at my body language you could see I was uncomfortable. Slowly, in Junior College, I sort of grew up, and started to grasp who I was and what I stood for. I became a bit more sure of myself.
Fast forward to last Thursday, when there was a town-hall meeting with the management. It was more of a gathering, with close to 300 employees in attendance and we kicked off the programme with a presentation I prepared. Needless to say it was not very well-rehearsed as I was responsible for other parts of the event. I was busy as hell. Other than scribbling a few words here and there... I really could have done more!
But you know, when the time comes, you've just got to do it! I knew some key ingredients - I had to be myself, have a personality. It's okay to be nervous, I was even comfortable enough to express it. (There was a point where I garbled "memorable" and then corrected myself before asking everyone to excuse me because I was ridiculously nervous.)It's a way of getting the audience to relate. Of course, I used my best voice, the only thing I was most confident of. I interacted with a few key people, taking them by surprise, for which I publicly apologised but it made it more entertaining and engaging. I got a few awkward moments as well (something I've never completely shaken off). For that I'm glad I have a bad memory cos I don't cringe that much when I think back at the entire experience. The segment was the company's proudest moments and there was rather generous applause most of the time. I'm glad that the audience got it. I'm glad I had a chance to do it because the only way to get better at speaking is by doing it often.
During refreshments I went around and spoke to some familiar faces and I was really touched by their kind words. Needless to say I enjoy hearing good things about myself, but having people from interns to managers expressing similar sentiments about how they enjoyed the presentation really made everything worth it! There were warm smiles and warm handshakes all around. For me it's a huge highlight, a milestone at work and something I'd love to continue doing.
I was only half-joking when I told a colleague that this was a great way to prepare for my next job as a DJ. ;)
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