World Cup Day 19

23:00 Germany 1 Argentina 1

I went down to Alliance Française today to help Esther sign up for class next semester. The receptionist took her own sweet time there. Then when it was my turn, she keyed in Esther's IC number and the system crashed or something. Honestly, Esther... I have nothing really much to say to you...

The time at this moment is... 1.45am

Germany are through to the semi-finals. They won the panelty shootout. 4-2.

Wah... the Argentinians look like they want to fight.

Okay, I better go sleep now. Class tomorrow.

Comics

I've never really read comics as a kid, but now I'm beginning to get hooked to French comics.

I'm currently into Astérix and Tintin.

The best excuse of the century

I was watching a chinese drama on channel 8 today. It's a local one at 7pm. I don't usually watch it, but today I was bored. So anyway, there was this wife who found out that her husband had been having an affair with her secretary. Let me repeat again. Her secretary. Okay, I'm digressing, because that's not the point I'm trying to make. So, the secretary went to visit the wife after the whole thing was exposed. She was sobbing, telling the wife all sorts of things, which to me, is pure rubbish. Then came the part where she told the wife, It was just mutual admiration.

Woohoo! We have just invented THE excuse of the century for adultery.

Mutual admiration!

At this point, I burst out laughing and simply had to turn off my television set before I hear any more nonsense to edge me into throwing my cup at my 54 inch TV.

Why can't she say something more believable like, yes. I slept with your husband. I admit that I lusted after him, and that old toad of a man probably did too. After me, I mean. Isn't that a nice little confession? And believable too.

I mean, come on. Mutual admiration?! Sheesh. As a wife, is she suppose to believe that you just sat there admiring his caligraphy work or something? Oh, did the little twit think that the wife had an intelligence of zero? Worse thing was, the adulteress actually believed in whatever she herself was saying.

Mutual admiration...

I shall remember that one.

World Cup Day 18

3:00 Switzerland 0 Ukraine 0
23:00 Brazil 3 Ghana 0

I think it's Juliet's birthday... or belated birthday. Not too sure when is the exact date.

Well...

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to Juliet,
Happy birthday to you...

Ok... I've sung it, in that horrible voice of mine.

Happy 21st birthday.

Cheers. Now you can go watch an R(A) movie.

World Cup Day 17

3:00 Portugal 1 Mexico 0
23:00 Italy 1 Australia 0

I'm so undecisive.

I haven't signed up for my french class yet. I can't decide between continuing with Cristalle's Saturday morning class, taking up Karen's conversation class or Manu's grammer class.

What about Grade 5 music theory?

Grrr...

Oh, I'm fascinated by the games. I didn't watch the 3am match but I heard that the referee was really generous with his yellow and red cards. 16 yellow, 4 reds.

And while I'm typing this, Italy is being awarded a penalty kick 10 seconds before the final wistle. It's a goal.

Italy is in. Australia is out. Goodbye, Aussies.

World Cup Day 16

3:00 Argentina 2 Mexico 1
23:00 England 1 Ecuador 0

My dad bought a new car.

I went for a test-drive today.

World Cup Day 15... I have been tagged =p

3:00 Switzerland 2 South Korea 0
Togo 0 France 2
Round of 16
23:00 Germany 2 Sweden 0

***

Okay, I have been tagged... and so will five other suckers be, by the time I finish blogging this thing.

***

1) Do the following w/o complains
2) Choose 5 pp 2 do this after u have completed urs
3) Leave a tag on the person's tagboard to say he/she has been tagged
4) Start ur post with "I have been tagged!" Then do this.

I've been tagged!!!

Favourites...
colour: Used to be green. Then blue. Now... maybe... red?
food: Definitely Korean & Japanese food.
song: Moon River or any song from Rod Stewart's Great American Songbook
movie: Scary Movie 3 (it's funny lar)
sport: fencing...?
day of the wk: Friday. (And I thank God for it every week)
season: Anything except the flu one.
ice-cream: Vanilla

Currents...
mood: Relaxed.
taste: I don't understand this question, honestly.
clothes: My King Edward VII inter-hall games shirt.
desktop: (Wall paper ba...) A picture of Mother Mary. (What? Can't I be religious?)
toenail: Its... still there?
time: 1.16am
surroundings: In my messy room.
annoynances: Nothing annoys me... at this very second.
thoughts: "Why am I wasting my time doing this rubbish?"

First...
best friend: Esther Tan (same Kindergarten class, same pri sch, sec sch, blah blah!)
crush: I have the right to remain silent... =p
movie: How in the world can I remember? The 1st one I can remember is... Terminator
lie: I never lie. (Now is that a lie, or what?)
music: Daddy's Home by Cliff Richard (Dad made me sing it on karaoke)


Last...
cigarette: Never. Hate the friggin' smokers.
drink: Don't drink except a polite sip of red wine during the French National Day party.
car ride: This afternoon. (Hey, everybody, I got my license 2 yrs ago!)
crush: I have the right to remain silent.
movie: Don't remember...
phone call: 10 years ago... hahahahahhahahaaaaaaaa......
CD played: The Great American Songbook!

Have u ever...
dated ur best friend: Hell, no. I'm no lesbian.
broken the law: Now if I have, would I admit it here?
arrested: No
skinny dipped: No
on TV: Eh... not that I know of.
Kissed someone u don't know: No... I don't have that habit.

5 things u r wearing: Honestly, I don't see the need in broadcasting this.
4 things u have done today: Attended french class, violin lesson, eat, sleep.
3 things u can hear right now: My TV, my TV... and did I mention, my TV?
1 thing u do when u r bored: stupid things like tagging people.

This is fun. U guys go do it, ok?

World Cup Day 14

3:00 Japan 1 Brazil 4
Croatia 2 Australia 2
22:00 Saudi Arabia 0 Spain 1
Ukraine 1 Tunisia 0

Oh my goodness, I realised the results of the french exam will be pinned up on the board for the whole world to see.

Help!

Okay, got to get back to my french homework now. It's due tomorrow morning and I'm only halfway through. Sounds like a normal friday night for me...

World Cup Day 13

3:00 Netherlands 0 Argentina 0
Côte D'ivoire 3 Serbia & Montenegro 2
22:00 Czech Republic 0 Italy 2
Ghana 2 USA 1

Thank God!

I came back this evening and opened my letterbox.

There laid a huge envelope with the "Alliance Française de Singapour" print on it.

In it was two sheets of paper with a heading of "Attestation De Réussite".

Unofficially, it means Yipee!!! I passed my French exam!!!

DELF refers to the Diplome D'etude De Langue Française, which is an internationally recognised french examination. There are four levels to the DELF exam. A1, A2, B1 & B2. For people who really want to go further into the language, there is the DALF exam which consists of levels C1 & C2.

So okay, I tried to act smart and signed myself up for both the A1 & A2. Mistake?

Maybe?

I mean, I did pass, when I thought I would fail. Yet I didn't do extremely well either. Where are my distinctions? Distinctions, where are youuuu....??? Why are you never here???

Okay, I think I'm a little delusional here.

My results?

A1
72.5/100

A2
68/100

World Cup Day 12

3:00 Sweden 2 England 2
Paraguay 2 Trinidad & Tobago 0
22:00 Portugal 2 Mexico 1
Iran 1 Angola 1

I was in the car today listening to BBC news. A Rwandan woman was being interviewed. She belonged to the Tutsi tribe in Rwanda. For people who actually keep themselves abreast of political news, they will know that Rwanda had tragically experienced a terrible genocide twelve years ago. This 1994 genocide started with a clash between the Hutus and Tutsis, and ended with about a million Tutsi and moderate Hutus dead. This went on until the French troops appeared to bring an end to the unfortunate incident.

Anyway, this woman was a Tutsi genocide survivor. She spoke of how her family had sent her to a Hutu pastor's house to hide. She spent her days in the bathroom of a Hutu pastor's house, with twelve other people. Hiding there was how she managed to stay alive. She recalled that a couple of times, some people raided the house and searched every room, but for some strange reason, they always missed out the bathroom. Perhaps it was the prayer she prayed, or perhaps it was the cross which was hung on the door that did the work, yet whatever it was, God saved her life.
She is one of the very fortunate Rwandans to be able to be alive today. Almost all of her entire immediate family have parished in the genocide. Her parents, two brothers and her grandmother were killed. The only family she had left, was one of her brothers who had stayed at Senagol at that time.

I really admire this woman, whoever and where ever she is now.

After all was over, she had a chance to visit her family's killer in prison. Before that, she had made a promise to God that she would not bear hatred for anyone. Yet, despite this promise, she was worried about how she would react. Yet, when she saw him, she couldn't feel any hatred towards him. In fact, she broke down and cried and asked him "Why? What made you change so much in these 3 months?"

She didn't know at that time, but she had managed to save many other prisoners from torture. It was like God answered her prayers, and in return, she was there to save others. The Head of Prison was a genocide survivor as well, and yet, when he saw her generosity towards the man who had killed almost her entire family, his hatred for the genocide prisoners had vanished as well.

He sent a note to her, telling her he had stopped beating his prisoners.

~~~Adelyn's Self-Reflections~~~
When conflicts occur, they end up dehumanising people.
Everything becomes a number, a figure.
One million people died.
Two million refugees.
Yet every death is a life lost.
And in every life there is a story behind it.
The story ends when one dies.
And what is left are memories for the living to bear.
Yet another starts, with every survivor.
A new chapter, a fresh beginning.

World Cup Day 11

0:00 Saudi Arabia 0 Ukraine 3
3:00 Spain 3 Tunisia 1
22:00 Costa Rica 1 Poland 2
Germany 3 Ecuador 0

I'm getting really lazy. Yet, there again, when am I ever not?

World Cup Day 10

0:00 Brazil 2 Australia 0
3:00 France 1 Korea 1
21:00 Switzerland 2 Togo 0

Just a cute little video introduced to me by Kelvin from Alliance Française.


I had my first violin practise session for the exam. Totally screwed it up.

I never really liked the Mona Lisa song by Nat King Cole but I just tried to play it and it actually sounds nice on violin. Now I can't seem to get the tune out of my head.

Mona lisa, mona lisa, men have named you
Youre so like the lady with the mystic smile
Is it only cause youre lonely they have blamed you?
For that mona lisa strangeness in your smile?

Do you smile to tempt a lover, mona lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
They just lie there and they die there
Are you warm, are you real, mona lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?

Do you smile to tempt a lover, mona lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
They just lie there and they die there
Are you warm, are you real, mona lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?

Mona lisa, mona lisa

World Cup Day 9 & Trust

0:00 Czech Republic 0 Ghana 2
3:00 Italy 1 USA 1
21:00 Japan 0 Croatia 0

I remember quite vividly one moment of my life in primary school. I was with a couple of friends and we were chatting about the year 2000. It seemed to us then, that the year 2000 was something very distant. It seemed like a day which will never come. We were pondering on questions like, will the world end? How old will we be? 16 years old seemed pretty grown up.

After ten years, when I think back of that moment, I feel very amazed. All of us have grown up and are all leading different lives. Some are successful, some are not so. Some are happy, some are not. Some are married, and some have left this world prematurely.

I keep thinking.

What happens if we did know what the future held for us? What happened if 10 years ago, at that moment, my friend knew that by the year 2006, she'll be happily married to a wonderful husband? What about that friend who so sadly ended her own life last year?

There are many clairvoyants around. Fortune-tellers, palm-readers, tarot card readers and so on. I guess none of us will really know if they can really foretell the future. Oh well, we don't even know if our lives are written down like a story in a book, or if we have the ability to change the destiny of our lives.

Assuming they can tell us our future, is it a good thing? Life is like a blindfolded journey. We don't know about tomorrow, or the day after. We only know what is installed for us, when we have actually stepped that step. It is frustrating sometimes, and occasionally we do have the urge to lift that blindfold and take a quick peek.

Yet isn't it frightening? Isn't it frightening to know exactly what will happen to you? To know exactly who you'll marry, or how many kids you'll have, and when you'll die.

Its like walking into a doctor's office only to be told you have six months left to live. Would that be a better way to die? Or would you rather not know until the very end? Would it be better to be in the know, and then learn to lead a more meaningful life and make time for your loved ones? Is the pressure too great then?

In RCIY today, I was asked, who do you trust to lead you through life?

I think in my whole life, the answer is the same - my parents. Definitely, they are the ones I trust most. I trust them more than I trust myself. Sometimes I tend to overestimate myself and I make the wrong decisions, up till a point where I begin to distrust myself. I think I have lost confidence in myself and my ability to decisions. I'm beginning to get very fearful to the point that I think I trust others more than myself. I regret some things which I have not done. I regret them every single day of my life.

So I place my trust in my parents and... God. Yes, I do pray sometimes to ask Him for help and I do gain solace in that.

But I'm still fearful.

Today, I stood infront of the figure of Mary, Mother of Christ in front of IHM church and looked into her eyes which were strangely staring back at me. I know it sounds weird, but it was strangely comforting. So in front of her, I made a silent prayer.

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.

World Cup Day 8 & Fête de la Musique

0:00 Netherlands 2 Côte D'ivoire 1
3:00 Mexico 0 Angola 0
21:00 Portugal 2 Iran 0

C'est Fête de la Musique à Alliance Française aujoud'hui. Maintanent, je suis très très fatigue. Je veux dormir!!!

World Cup Day 7

0:00 England 2 Trinidad & Tobago 0
3:00 Sweden 1 Paraguay 0
21:00 Argentina 6 Serbia & Montenagro 0

I think the World Cup fever is beginning to die down for me. I only watched the England match where they played so badly against Trinidad & Tobago. I almost thought for a second that they would lose. Wayne Rooney came on the game to play much to the delight of the spectators and English fans in the second half as well because England was hopeless then but Peter Crouch managed to score the first goal of the game in the last part of the second half.

Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Just thinking of it makes me tired. French class in the morning, and then violin class, then its back to Alliance Française for Fête de la Musique, until night time.

World Cup Day 6

0:00 Tunasia 2 Saudi Arabia 2
3:00 Germany 1 Poland 0
21:00 Ecuador 3 Costa Rica 0

The Saudis really surprised me. I think they did better than expected. I thought they would have won the game, judging from the way they played in the second half.

Anyway, I breathed a sigh of relief today when I realised I need not report for work tomorrow, for some peculiar reason. I think I'm getting very lazy. I think I'm used to my rather slack lifestyle of just lazing around and basically doing nothing. Just thinking of entering a job with undesirable shifts kills me.

Oh, by the way, look at what I found. Esther might be interested in this.

World Cup Day 5

0:00 France 0 Switzerland 0
3:00 Brazil 1 Croatia 0
21:00 Spain 4 Ukraine 0

I stayed up to watch the French and Swiss. No goals, but got my adrenaline pumped up. Very interesting game.

Oh yeah, I finally got 2 french songs, thanks to one of my french classmates.

Valentin - by Marie Kiss La Joue
Croque - Thomas Fersen

I suspect these are the songs being used for the Fête de la Musique this Saturday at Alliance Française. I love these songs, though I just can't find the lyrics for Valentin.

Croque on the other hand is such a fast song. Having the lyrics on hand is of no use at all.

Croque
Quand je rentre à la maison,
Elle me dit souvent
Que j'ai une tête d'enterrement
Et elle a raison,
Je travaille au cimetière,
C'est incontestable,
Je laisse ma tête au vestiaire
Et je me mets à table.
Faut pas se laisser abattre,
J'ai une faim de loup,
Moi je mange comme quatre
Et je bois comme un trou
Puis je retourne au cimetière
Travailler d'mon mieux,
Digérer mon pot de bière
Et mon croque-monsieur.

Pendant l'oraison du prêtre
J'ai un petit creux,
Moi je pense à ma côtelette,
À mon pot-au-feu.
Aux premières couronnes de fleurs
J'ai déjà la dent,
C'est mon estomac qui pleure
À chaque enterrement.

Comme un côté du cimetière
Est inhabité,
J'ai planté des pommes de terre
Dans l'intimité.
Et dans ma jaquette noire,
Entre deux services,
Je donne un coup d'arrosoir
Et je cours à l'office.
Je gratte, je bine et je bêche,
Quelle heureuse surprise
Quand je trouve un ver pour la pêche,
Je range ma prise
Dans une boîte en fer blanc.
Le temps est superbe,
Voilà un coin épatant
Pour déjeuner sur l'herbe.

À présent qu'a sonné l'heure
L'heure du goupillon,
Je pense à mes pommes vapeur,
À mon court-bouillon
Et quand tombent les premières gouttes
Sur mon haut-de-forme,
C'est mon ventre qui glougloute,
Mon ventre qui grogne.

Parfois je croque un oignon,
Parfois une gousse d'ail,
Parfois même un champignon
Est une victuaille,
Il faut faire avec,
Ce n'est pas copieux
Car ces oraisons du prêtre
On en voit pas la queue.
Le vent chasse les nuages,
C'est providentiel,
Un grand disque de fromage
Tourne dans le ciel,
La faim me monte à la tête,
J'avale mon chapeau,
Un bouton de ma jaquette
Et un pauvre mulot.

Je n'me sens pas dans mon assiette,
Je vais rendre l'âme,
Quand je pense à mes paupiettes,
À mon croque-madame.
Ça fait trop longtemps qu'ça dure,
Je m'allonge un peu
Sur le tapis de verdure
Et je ferme les yeux.

World Cup Day 4

0:00 USA 0 Czech Republic 3
3:00 Italy 2 Ghana 0
21:00 Korea 2 Togo 1

The poor Americans were trashed by the Czechs.

I didn't watch the Italy one. Too tired.

I didn't enjoy the Korean versus Togo match as well. The Koreans won and practically stopped playing immediately after the 2nd goal. The last 20 minutes of the game was torturous to watch. The Koreans just kicked the ball around and didn't even bother to pretend to be serious about the match. But nevertheless, I'm happy. An Asian Victory finally...

I simply can't wait for the next match.

It's France versus Switzerland.

For loyalty reasons, I support France - Champions of the World Cup 8 years ago, but failed to score a single goal in the World Cup 4 years back.

Oh, Esther started work today. Good for her. Got an easy 8-6 job. Yet, she still complains till the cows come home.

*sigh*

World Cup Day 3

0:00 Mexico 3 Iran 1
3:00 Angola 0 Portugal 1
21:00 Australia 3 Japan 1

I only managed to catch the Australia versus Japan one. I guess the only word is WOW! It started as a boring game. Japan led by one goal to nil. Nothing much. I expected Japan to win. Everyone got tired. The Japanese were unattentive; the Aussies were tired... Then suddenly, by the 84th minute, Australia scored! Then they scored again! Then other! By the time the final whistle blew, the Japanese were beaten to the pulp. Australia 3, Japan 1.

Oh yeah, I finally settled down after more than one month of holiday. I went to the job agency to find a job.

Finally.

World Cup Day 2

I think I'm going mad. I actually caught all the matches of the day (or night).

0:00 - Sweden 0 Trinidad & Tobago 0
3:00 - Argentina 2 Côte D'ivoire 1
21:00 - Serbia 0 Netherlands 1

I went with my dad to Macs for supper. It's 24 hours now, I realise, with a large plasma tv on the wall during the period of the World Cup. Smart thing to do. I actually saw quite a decent number of people there eating at 2.30am in the morning.

Oh... I loved the matches... early this morning. Especially the Sweden versus Trinidad one. Why? Because of the Singaporean referee!!! Yeah!!! We had a Singaporean referee for the match and he gave a red card!!! To a Trinidad guy.

Oh yeah. Sad right? I guess this is the closest we can get to the World Cup... so I guess our World Cup 2010 dream can come true after all... haha!!

World Cup Fever

I've got the World Cup Fever. Note. Its World Cup FEVER.

"Fever" is the keyword. I've been down since Wednesday with the flu and fever.

Je suis malade... encore!

Again!

This is the second time this month. In fact, my whole family has been down with flu this month.

Anyway.......... It's the

World Cup 2006 in Germany

0:00 - Germany 4 Costa Rica 2
03:00 - Poland 0 Ecuador 2

I'm currently watching England versus Paraguay. England is leading by one goal at the moment. 2 yellow cards as of now - one to each side.

World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...
World Cup Fever...

One Desire

If I could have one desire
Before my life is through
Even in my darkest night
My light would shine for You.

If I could stop the hands of time
Or make a wish come true
I would tell my heart to burn with fire
For no one else but you
This is my one desire.

You are my saving grace
Anchor of my soul
In a world that's turned upside down
I want You to know.

You are my faithful friend
The one that I lean onYou always understand
With all that I am.

I'll give You the deepest devotion I know
With all my strength
I won't let You go
As I look to You above
I will give You all my love.

I was asked today at church to write down what I feel is most important in my life. I wrote - family, money, academics, health and career.

At this point in my life, religion, friends and love life take the back seat.

New make-over

I finally went to rebond my hair yesterday after many years of deliberation. Now I have... straighter hair, and I changed my style of dressing also...

Great.

Esther hightlighted her hair too. She isn't half as guai as she used to be... she has red streaks of hair now...