Cabonara

2008 has been a tremendous time of transformation.
With ups and downs.
Breaks, tears, heart-aches and crashes.
But also a time of repentance, acceptance and perseverance.
Struggled through the storms, we have, and we have emerged victorious.

Now, let us usher in 2009 with a better attitude as last year.


We are blessed with gifts, talents and wonderful abilities.
And we are told to use them.
He wants to "show us off" to people around us.
Let our light shine before the world, that they may see our works and acknowledge the One who gives us the gifts and talents.

We are meant to be creative.
We are meant to create, innovate and inspire.


Everyone has their own unique talent.
Won't it be a waste if we don't use it to bless others or we use it for the wrong reasons?

It is perfectly alright if your talent isn't that great.
A small and common talent like drawing could one day make you a Leonardo Da Vinci.
Do not despise small beginnings.
No eye seen, nor ear heard. He has bigger plans.
Much bigger plans.


Let 2009 be the year we DEVELOP and IMPROVE our gifts and talents.
A good use of one's talents may even brighten up someone's day.(Yes, you did)


Just think today, what are you good at?
Anything which makes you who you are.


Who knows? You and I could be a major blessing to others.

Warmth

It was a bustling, season-greeting Christmas Eve.
Billy put on his jacket, ready to have a night of his life.
Once in a year does this sensational feeling take its toll in his life.
And it wears off once the season is over.
He has just graduated from high school.
Better make the best of the last hours of holiday.


It was a lonely, dark Christmas Eve.
Kevin tried his hardest to wrap himself with his thin, ragged sheet of plastic.
It is the same year after year.
A continuous cycle of survival in the winter during the darkest night of the year.
This twelve year old has never met his birth parents.
All he wishes, is for the cold winter season to end.


The streets were jam-packed with pedestrians.
The side-walks were decorated with lights and music was in the air.
People carrying the Christmas spirit were dancing and mingling, as they counted down to midnight.


Kevin, in his isolated corner amongst the slumps, mustered enough courage to take a peep into the streets.
He grimaced with disgust.
"What is this Christmas?" He thought,"It's just a foolish time of disturbance to me."
He turned his back against the wall that separated the slumps and the city, closing his eyes in irritation.
Nevertheless, he was tempted to take short glimpses out into the streets, envying the happiness that he saw in the people.


"Sorry, I'm late!"
A cheerful, smart looking teenager arrived into Kevin's field of vision.
Gasping for air, he still wore a joyful smile as he greeted his friends.
"You're lucky you're in time for the countdown!" said one of his friends.
Kevin glanced at the clock located at the highest building in Meville Square, it was 20 seconds to midnight.


The countdown began.

20!..19!..18!..
People were staring intensely at the movement of the clock's hands, screaming as the numbers being shouted descended.

14!..13!..12!..
Kevin held the cracks of the wall, sticking half of his body out to get a better view.

10!..9!..8!..
The shouting of the crowd heightened.

5!..4!..3!..2!..1!..
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!


Within seconds, friends started shaking hands, wishing each other.
Couples and relatives hugged and exchanged kisses.
Even strangers who have met began to smile and greet one another.

Kevin managed to catch the smart looking teenager and his friends exchanging gifts.
Presents, nicely wrapped up in gold foil and perfected with a red ribbon on top.


A warm feeling manifested inside of Kevin.
He wanted to be part of it.
He wanted to feel the happiness everyone felt.
He wanted to know what is Christmas really like.
In the midst of his flow of thoughts, he was interrupted by a gentle and kind voice.

"Hey little kid, why aren't you out here with everyone of us?"
Kevin looked up, and saw a tall figure, leaning against the wall he was looking out from.
The person crouched down and gave a smile of assurance to Kevin.

"I'm Billy, nice to meet you!"

Precariously, Kevin stuck his head out nearer to Billy, observing him.
"Oh, wait!"
Billy placed his hand into his sling bag, as if in search of something important.
He took out a small, transparent box tied up with a ribbon, and slowly lowered it in front of Kevin's chest.
"Here, it's for you, I baked it this morning."


Stretching his hands out, Kevin received the gingerbread man cookie.
Holding it with his malnourished fingers, he looked up again to Billy.
Clad in unwanted pieces of clothing, no shoes and sheltered from the cold only by a plastic sheet.
Once again, Billy smiled at him.
He took off his jacket, wrapped it around Kevin and patted his head thrice before saying the words that now meant a lot to the boy, "Merry Christmas kid!"


Cold tears fell down the cheeks of the twelve year old.
But his heart was filled with comfort and warmth.
He had finally experienced the love and the true meaning of Christmas.


There are many, just like Kevin, whom have yet felt the Christmas spirit.
Looking for love and grace, but no one to celebrate with during the festive season.
All they need, is just a small act of kindness from those who are already blessed.
Even if they are strangers.
It can make a difference.

Go!

My absence for the past week is due to a mass mahjong spree every night(or shall I say morning) from Tuesday.

I need to be cured from my sunburn. Random comment. =]


Woots.

Surface

Enjoy. =)




All panels were done using Microsoft Paint.
Things I come up with when I'm bored.

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As time passes, the things I learn also become more and more valuable.
Things that I will remember for a lifetime.
Lessons that I will carry and teach my kids and students.
From generation to generation.

But the best has yet to come.
There are still greater things to be done.
Not by us.
But by future heroes and heroines of the next era.


Still, we press on and improve.
What we are in this time affects how much we impart into the next generation.

There will definitely be a time to pass on the baton.
For now, let's keep the grip on the baton strong and run our race.
I will keep on improving.

Booster-bug

Stole this from Jon's blog
A fragment of the infinite memories that I have from the term called "Brotherhood"


Relationships come and go, but Brotherhood stays and grows.

And my new phrase:
"You may be recession-proof, but you will never be Ryan-proof"
(and I'll give you a nice big hug)

Ouch!

Spiderman needs a break from being a hero once in awhile


Carelessly burnt my hand with boiling water yesterday.
(Even a superhero can get injured by burns)=]
I need to heal fast, so I can play my guitar for Prom tomorrow.

"By His stripes, I am HEALED."
Confess, Believe, Experience, then Testify.
He is the ultimate Superhero.

Scratch

(Expression of my feelings after I saw this photo again after a few months)

"Good luck, do a good job," said the previous performers.
They were stunning.
With the exchange of handshakes, they walked backstage and the curtains drew in.

It's our turn to put up a great show.
We walked out stage, dragging our guitar cables and making our ways to our respective stations.

The crowd, oblivious of our preparation behind the curtains, were still cheering their lungs out.
Trying to decipher the muffled voices out in the arena, distinct screams and shouts could be heard.
Some were demanding for an encore, many were screaming for the bands that have not performed yet.

And in the faint sounds of intertwining voices, I could hear some people shouting the name of my band...


At that moment, my heart started to pulsate even quicker than it was.
My mind raced with mixed feelings.
My fingers, meant for holding the strings of my guitar, went numb.
Goosbumps started to appear from the tip of my forehead to the soles of my feet.
Trickles of perspiration dripped down the sides of my cheeks.


It was then, when the curtains of destiny started to inveil.
At first, I received a blinding sensation due to the striking lights of the stage.
And slowly, just slowly, it disintegrated into a dark floor area, packed with jumping spectators.
The screams and cheering intensified.
The audience became excited.
They were ready.

This was it, the moment of my guitar "career".
The audience came for a great show, and we're going to give it to them.


I turned to my band members, only to see them smiling with satisfaction at each other.
"Let's do this," I said.


And with that, we rocked the house down and created history.
It was a moment in my life which will take alot of memory loss to forget.
The feeling of putting on a great show --> priceless

(p.s. I'm sorry if it sounded too exaggerated)

Back

Ta-da-i-ma!!
I'm back from Osaka, and I'm beginning to hate the weather in Singapore.
(I used to run several 100 metres without even breaking a drop of perspiration)

Didn't get a chance to take many photos, but I got a few shots which could possibly differentiate Japan from Singapore.

You thought Yoshinoya in Singapore was awesome, take a look at Yoshinoya in Osaka.
An illustration of a typical street outlet, with food which taste as good as first class restaurants.


This, is my favourite shop in Osaka. Cheap, but definitely worth it.

Hello Kitty Heaven. ^^


This, people is the BEST Katsu-Don I've ever tasted in my 18 years of living.
-On the left is the fresh and fragrant steamed rice, which makes up 1/3 of the meal's cost.(Note that rice in Osaka costs 5 times more than in Singapore)
-On the right is a hot plate, containing a tender and succulent deep fried Katsu, cooked with onions and a half-raw egg.
-And on top of that, there is a free-flow of ice cold green tea.(also present in every food outlet)

The Apples tasted great! and are two times the size of apples in Singapore.


Train station on the way to "Universal Studios", where I sat on the BEST roller coaster I've ever took. =D

Me and Miss Hello Kitty.


Hotel view. Could see students walk to school at 7am and walk back home around 5pm everyday from this window.

On the plane back to Singapore.


If you have noticed, I have mentioned 2 "BEST" moments in my life during the trip to Osaka.
I must say it was a worthwhile trip, although it was only for a mere 4 days.
Hope I didn't gain weight after eating so much.=)

Ja-pan

Heyheyhey,

I'll be off to the friendly and ever so incentric city of Osaka tonight and will be back roughly by 6-7pm on Friday.
Will be eager to see the type of culture present there.=D

Till then,
Sa-yo-na-ra
I-te-ki-ma-su.

Re-create

Our minds,
are not shaped by the things that we think.
But are nurtured by our environments.

What we think with our minds everyday, how we view things with optimism or pessimism and the way we evaluate things, our life-experiences hold a big responsibility in affecting them.
It's beneficial to start out right.
Without the right foot forward, we will veer away from the course into becoming a positive-thinker.
However, it's also not too late in life to reconsider and decide to make a change.


+P+O+S+I+T+I+V+E+


The past few days have been plainly phenomenal.
And I know it's just going to get better and better.

Till then, Adios.