DOTA...

i've been playing quite alot of DOTA (which stands for Defense of The Ancients) lately. haha... some skeptics out there must be thinking - "Joel leh... play alot? alot is how much!" To quantify that, how about 3 hours daily?!

I am quite amazed at myself to have the slightest hint of affection towards computer games, considering that my favourite past time is to nag at my game-holic brothers. It must have been the exposure I am getting recently (or more specifically, during the post-exam break). In a short span of a week, I had to join some of my friends at 2 LAN games... First it was with my Cell Group friends, followed by my army friends... I was really a 'noob' when I played with my army friends... they are really good and guided me alot in the game. One of them happened to be a medical doctor... haha cool right? So, that was the spark that needed get the fire going.

For many, DOTA could be an outdated game (or so I heard). But i guess its main attraction for me was reliance on team-effort vanquish the opposing team... its kinda thrilling.. so if you the itch someday, remember to jio ok! ;)

Post exam fun!

We had 5h ktv session and crabby dinner after our last paper for semester 2... Here's some pic!

summarising academic year 07/08!

hi! I am back at last. Finally deciding to deal with my idling. How should I start?

Well, for those who don't already know, I have enrolled for a 4-year Chemical Engineering programme at NTU - which accounts for my disappearance from my secret cave for the whole year haha.

Life at NTU has been very hectic from the start. A typical workday begins at 9.30am - 4.30pm, punctatated with a few hours of breaks. Afterhours are mostly used to prepare for tutorials and reports for the 6-7 modules I am assigned in each semester. Thankfully, I am not going through all these alone...

I signed up for a Freshman Orientation Camp organised by student body in the faculty which attached me a group of 15 innoncent looking strangers, which we call Kanzarians (name of the orientation group) But after the 5 days of fun-filled and 'dirt-filled' events, we emerged as friends. Friends that go through the good times (like post exams gathering), bad times (mugging together before the exams)...

The story can go on and on..... but I can only say, life's busy, life's tough, but life's enriching becos I've learnt, and life's fulling because of friends around me. =)

time to revive this blog!

hey peepz, i think its time to revive this desolated space again... Watch out for what's coming your way!

joel

Because of Love...

Isaiah 53:3-5

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Against the Light

The long awaited 8th album from Singapore's most successful music export finally hits the shelves! Her first album with Capitol is named "Against the Light". This album mirrors the success of her 2nd release, My Desired Happiness - taking us on her musical story which begins and ends with instrumental pieces. But unlike the 2nd, her latest work reveals a hint nostalgia and a bitter after taste of fallen love. These are reflected a series of tears jerking ballads "我怀念的", "需要你". The only punctuation to these sad tunes, are 2 upbeat numbers that are alittle playful: "咕叽咕叽" and "爱情的花样". Being a ballad lover, this album deserves a 3.5 stars from me!

just for laughs

I got this from a friend from a chain mail.... really quite lame.

Teacher: History is a very interesting subject. It tells you about what had happened in the past.
Student: Please teacher, I don't think I want to study history.
Teacher: Why?
Student: There is no future in it.

Teacher: Ted, if your father has $10 and you ask him for $6, how much would your father still have?
Ted: $10. Teacher: You don't know maths.
Ted: You don't know my father!

Mother: David, come here.
David: Yes, mum?
Mother: You really disappoint me. Your results are getting worse.
David: But I will only get my report book tomorrow.
Mother: I know that. But I am going to Hong Kong tomorrow, so I am scolding you now.

Father: Why did you fail your mathematics test?
Son: On Monday, teacher said 3+5=8
Father: So? >
Son: On Tuesday, she said 4+4=8. And on Wednesday, she said 6+2=8. If she can't make up her mind, how do I know the right answer?

A mother and son were doing dishes while the father and daughter were watching TV in the living room. Suddenly, there was a loud crash of breaking plates, then complete silence. The daughter turned to look at her father.
Daughter: It's mummy!
Father: How do you know?
Daughter: She didn't say anything.

Girl: Do you love me?
Boy: Yes, Dear.
Girl: Would you die for me?
Boy: No, mine is undying love

Man: How old is your father?
Boy: As old as me
Man: How can that be?
Boy: He became a father only when I was born

Waiter: I've stewed liver, boiled tongue and frog's leg.
Customer: Don't tell me your problems. Give me the menu card.

Teacher: Simon, your composition on "My Dog" is exactly the same as your brother's. Did u copy his?
Simon: No, teacher, it's the same dog!

Father: Your teacher says she finds it impossible to teach you anything!
Son: That's why I say she's no good!

Teacher: "Where were u born?"
Student: " Singapore , Sir."
Teacher: "Which part?"
Student: "All of me, Sir."

A teacher was asking her class: "What is the difference between 'unlawful' and 'illegal'?" Only one hand shot up. "Ok, answer, Joan" said the teacher. "'Unlawful' is when u do something the law doesn't allow and 'illegal' is a sick eagle."

Teacher: "How come you do not comb your hair?"
Ah Kow: "No comb, Sir."
Teacher: "Use your dad's then."
Ah Kow: "No hair, Sir."

A boy came home from school with his exam results. "What did u get?" asked his father. "My marks are under water," said the boy. "What do u mean 'under water'?" "They are all below 'C' level"

Muddied hands

Who has not erred? We are but carnal flesh trapped in a vicious cycle of wrongdoings and mistakes. So, that makes erring our nature, isn't it? What more when we live in a world full of temptations.

As a student, I have always been told, "all failure is a stepping stone towards success." As a tutor/teacher, I remember telling my students not to be afraid of making mistakes, but be daring to learn from them. But do we always apply what we learnt or practise what we preach? I guess not. Because there seem to be easier options around - running away. Who wants to go through the discomfort, pain, embarassment to face a problem in life?

But denial, escapism are very much like the asprins to our daily problems. They don't solve our problems, they merely alleviate our discomfort - at a price. Many find themselves falling into a bottomless pit or sliding down a slippery slope when they put no effort to fight and do what's right.

Maybe we are just lazy to change our habits or rectify a problem. Or we are powerless to control a problem too big. But there's always a way, when we choose to do what's right. It may not be an easy way out, but I know help is already on its way when we choose to fight.

A wise person once said, "it's inevitable to get slimed and dirtied, but it's important that you get yourselves cleaned up."

2 months...after my last entry

2 months of absence in blogsphere may feel like an eternity... yet when I look at life, our life time on earth of 80 years seemed so transient in comparison. To me life is like fireworks, it is so beautiful, it brings smiles to those that see it, yet it fizzles out as soon as it starts.

This what some say about life...

"We cannot truly face life until we face the fact that it will be taken away from us."

"We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them."

"... asks what it’s too late to ask: 'Where is my life? Where is my life? What have I done with my life?' "

"Life is painting a picture, not doing a sum. "

"Growth is the only evidence of life. "

"Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways."

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

"We are always getting ready to live but never living."

"I've come to give life, and life more abundantly" - Jesus Christ



So....Cherish life, live life!

Joel's musings: Making choices...

We make choices everyday in our lives. Very often, choices are made out of convenience, confidence, instinct, our measured ability to handle an issue, etc. Choices made based on the above mentioned may yield visible benefits in times of iminent crises. But are they the best choices? Do they always bring out the best of our potential?

“Proactiveness is one’s ability and desire to thrive outside their comfort zone in
times of uncertainty and challenge.”

This Year I Will.....

1. Be wiser in my spendings + Save more!
2. Help out more at home.... Less slacking!
3. Get my driver's license.
4. Learn how to cook.
5. Revise relevant A levels work before Uni
6. Train hard!
7. Earn more $$$ !!!

BBQ with colleagues at Shiva's bungalow!

We had a big bbq gathering on 18th Dec at Shiva's place... including our boss and the return of many ORD personnel. All to celebrate our USMS king, Khairi, 21st birthday... It was a fun-filled day with great food from CMPB's very own chefs. Here are some of pictures:

.... all SQUINTING! Chao Geng!

.... nice food, but who's cooking?

... Dr Kumar the COOK and Bahari

...Dr Kurma the CONVICT and Shawn fooling around with Shiva's sharp toys

... Dr Kumar Copperfield conjuring his birthday cat out of thin air

ha! so that's where those ears came from... Shiva's gf's tall!

... I wish I wish

... Damien and me after a few drinks

... hmmm, what are they doing?

Some fotos before we part....

CMPB D&D 2006

Just attended CMPB's annual Dinner and Dance at Amara Hotel on 24 NOV. Here are some kodak moments...

.... closer friends at the workplace

... Joel Tan rushing into the picture

.... was told to join in this pic on my to the toilet

.... the whole family for '06.

Work work....

My seven-week break finally came to an end this thursday.... so it's back to work at CMPB. Felt like I'm dragging my feet there that morning.... I was so sleepy after getting used to sleeping until 9 everyday.

It had been a good week, but a hectic one as usual. On my return, I was greeted with lotsa welcome and warming smiles from my colleagues, and of course, much scrutiny on my left eye.

So it's 4 more weeks and counting... to ORD!

Anointed = 'Always right'?

Found this article from Yahoo...

`Superstar' pastors pose challenge
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer

Pastor Ted's influence was felt everywhere in New Life Church: in the videos shown at worship; in the New Life bookstore, which stocked books he recommended; and in the story of the church itself. He started New Life in his basement, building it into a 14,000-member nationally known megachurch. As the Rev. Ted Haggard's fortunes rose, so did the church's.

So when Haggard fell spectacularly from grace in a scandal involving drugs and allegations of gay sex, many wondered if New Life, so tied to his public persona, would crash with him.

The answer has significance far beyond the Haggard tragedy. As evangelical megachurches have sprung up around the country, concerns have grown over whether superstar pastors help or hurt faith communities.

"When you get to these top 25 or 50 of the largest or most influential churches, these pastors are clearly celebrities. They were the founders, they created much of the growth and they are, in some sense, a brand in and of themselves," said Scott Thumma, a professor at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut, who specializes in studying megachurches. "It's just like a business where the name of the founder is, in fact, a trademark."

America has always had big-name preachers — from Billy Sunday, the pro baseball player-turned-evangelist, to Billy Graham. But the two were not closely tied to a single church. Among today's best-known pastors, Rick Warren has Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., Joel Osteen has Lakewood Church in Houston and Bishop T.D. Jakes has The Potter's House in Dallas.

Graham and Sunday also worked in a vastly different media environment. Modern-day celebrity pastors have Web sites, where they promote their books, along with the DVDs, TV shows and films they produce, while preaching internationally. With such high profiles, word of any wrongdoing will spread quickly, intensifying the damage to them and their congregations.

Haggard felt the impact firsthand last week. On Nov. 2, Mike Jones of Denver came forward saying he had drug-fueled homosexual trysts regularly with Haggard over the last few years.

The claims spread through the Internet, where they were placed side-by-side with video and past news articles in which Haggard had condemned gay marriage and had presented his family life, with wife Gayle and their five children, as a model.

Haggard, 50, immediately resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an umbrella group for about 45,000 conservative churches, and within days was fired by New Life in Colorado Springs, Colo. In a letter read Sunday at New Life services, he did not address the specifics of Jones' claims, but confessed he was guilty of "sexual immorality."

New Life's reaction was swift — yet most megachurches don't have such effective oversight. Many have boards stacked with relatives, friends, personal lawyers and hangers-on who wouldn't dare contradict the pastor, said Bill Martin, a Rice University expert on evangelicals.

Nearly all megachurches are independent from a denomination — an asset for their flexibility, but a liability when it comes to checks on power. By contrast, mainline Protestant denominations vet clergy credentials and have elaborate systems of church tribunals, similar to civil courts, that discipline errant ministers.

"The pitfall with the megachurches, the personality driven churches, is it's so easy for a person to consider him- or herself above accountability," Martin said. "If that accountability is absent or reduced, then trouble is on the way."

Some megachurch pastors are aware of the risk. They allow independent audits of their finances and have elaborate rules meant to minimize any chance of sex scandal. For example, some only allow male staff members to counsel women if someone else is in the room or if the door is open. And in a highly unusual practice for pastors, Warren, who has sold millions of copies of his book "The Purpose Driven Life," gives 90 percent of his income to the church.

"Money is a difficult issue with megachurch pastors," Thumma said. "They're accused all the time of fleecing their flocks and using that money to buy fancy cars and homes when their members have less."

With Haggard gone and the crisis he created easing, New Life members face a different challenge: They must decide whether they wish to belong to a church without the charismatic leader.

Nancy Ammerman, a Boston University sociologist who researches congregational life, said the megachurch might be saved by its extensive programs that create social groups within the church. New Life uses the small group model, where churchgoers meet regularly with just a few others, sometimes based on common interests outside of worship.

"That also gives them a forum within which to deal with what happened," Ammerman said.

But Randall Balmer, a Barnard College historian of American religion, said megachurches are so wrapped up with their pastor that New Life inevitably has hard times ahead. Without any creed or denominational identity for the church to cling to, attendance will eventually drop by half or more, he predicted.

"You have a kind of cult of personality that confuses the faith with a particular individual," said Balmer, author of "Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America." "I just think it's very difficult to recover from this sort of thing."

.... My point of view: I guess we can't really say that the religlious leaders we respect today will stand by what they preach tomorrow. Humans are fallible creatures aren't we? So who or what do we look to when we question the reason for our existence? - Scriptures that are penned in the hands of man? Or the claims of divine encounters from the tongues of man?

But so long as life goes on, the search for indivivual enlightenment and fulfilment continues...

Perseverence

This is for all who need a little push, and all taking their Os and As....

The Story of 2 Frogs

Two young frogs fell into a bucket of milk. Both tried to jump to freedom, but the sides of the bucket were steep and no foundation was to be had on the surface of the liquid.

Seeing little chance of escape, the first frog soon despaired and stopped jumping. After a short while he sunk to the bottom of the bucket and drowned.

The second frog also saw no likelihood of success, but he never stopped trying. Even though each jump seemed to reach the same inadequate height, he kept on struggling. Eventually, his persistent efforts churned some milk into butter. From the now hardened surface of the milk, he managed to leap out of the bucket.

The moral of this little inspiring story: Those who don't give up and persevere may be in for a pleasant surprise!

"National Slavery"?

Hi ppl... I know, it's been a while since I last posted something. Must have been four weeks? OK, I'll try to be more prolific, I promise.

Alright, you might wonder what's with the title... Well, I was on a bus ride home after a photo shoot at CMPB today. (No, I am not modelling haha... perhaps maybe until I achieve something admirable in my gym routine?) The photo session was to commemorate the service of those who gave up 2 precious years to serve the nation...(for my case, I literally 'served' in the service line).

For many, 2 years is indeed a heavy price to pay to keep our pink IC - my sentiments too. A friend even coined the term "National Slavery" for NS. I think I consider myself more fortunate then some. My vocation as a medic has exposed me a wealth of knowledge that I wouldn't have otherwise. In the little radiological department housed in CMPB, I got to learn the invaluable skills of taking X-rays and reading them; I've befriend many from varied backgrounds and visited their world so alien to my own; It's like a first-hand experience of what a future workplace is like - with all its disgreements, politics, teamwork.

Hey, so you might ask - "What about being a man?" So medics aren't 'man' enough? Hmm, I do agree that the definition of manhood and masculinity doesn't seem complete with adrogenic qualities such bulging muscles, superhuman endurance. But that's just the physical aspect. Well, sitting in an office from eight-five isn't gonna build the 6-packs... you might realised that the combination of the 6 to form a bulge after a while. OK, my point is, it's the holistic development of one's character that counts. Qualities such honesty, leadership, team-spirit, responsibilty, patriotism and discipline can also be nurtured in a setting outside a battle training field.

For me, my NS experience didn't really stop at CMPB. I spent time going out with my colleagues, gave tuitions, went to the gym faithfully. I guess how you make use for personal development during the 2-year term decides how 'man' you can be.

William Hung in-the-making?

"Oh no! Sh*t!", I shouted in my head when I saw the message Alex sent me that morning. It was just the break of dawn. My eyes almost burst out of the sockets in disbelief. They wanted me to SING during the coming Annual CMPB Dinner and Dance, to be held at Amara Hotel.

Aiyoz..How am I going to do it? Er.. I tremble and stutter on stage (that's from my experience in secondary school when I had to narrate a class play on teacher's day concert) I don't have a fantastic singing voice (not like those lead singers in my secondary school choir), although I am not tone-deaf. The Commander, COs (commanding officers), Branch Heads, will all be present! What if I zao xia (hokkien for go off-pitch). Will I be teased if I do badly? All these were the concerns when the facts settled in... I don't think I have a choice, do I?

What can I sing? Mandarin or english? Which genre? What will suit my vocal range? How am I going to represent myself? Am I thinking too much? Should I just take it easy, and switch to a happy-go-lucky mood? No... I don't want to be CMPB's infamous William Hung...

Help! What song is good? Tag your thoughts people!

NEW Workout Plans

The long MC that I am currently on is killing me! I have been grounded (even more so due to the escalating PSI figures) for 3 weeks so far. That means 3 more weeks more before I can stretch my limbs again...

Well, for those who don't really know. I have started to workout religiously for the past few months to gain some body mass. For the past 2 months I have been following a 4 day work-week weight training routine hoping to put on muscle mass. Things went pretty smoothly until I went for the Squint Surgery. I must say the trainings are tough and costly, considering the amout of time and money (such as gym entrance fees and nutritional supplements) I had to invest in to see gains.

Why did I start working out? There are 2 reasons - dissatifaction, and family/peer pressure. Technically, I belong to a group called Ectomorphs. There are 3 diffrent classifications - mesomorph (the muscular ones), endomorphs (fats ones), ectomorphs (skinny ones). Like me, some common traits of ectomorphs are: high metabolic rates, long limbs, small rib cage. Ectoomorphs have little inherent ability to build muscle and hardly store up fats, leading to skinny frames. My body mass index (BMI) was 16.0 (2.0 below the acceptable value) when I first started out - that classifies me under "poor physique" category. I needed a change man!

OK... I've drawn up a new lifitng plan which I thought I can post here....

Mondays and Thurdays

Machine Abdominal Crunches ( 3 Sets)
Obliques Crunches (2 Sets)
Tricep Extensions (3 Sets)
Reverse Barbell Curls (3 Sets)
Seated Cable Rows (Middle Back) (3 Sets)
Lats Pull Down (3 Sets)
Calf Press ( 3 Sets)

Tuesdays and Fridays

Flat Bench Press (3 Sets)
Inclined Bench Press (2 Sets)
10 Degrees Flys (2 Sets)
Seated Military Press with Smith Machine (4 Sets)
Upright Barbell Rows (3 Sets)
Barbell Curls (3 Sets)
Squats (3 Sets)
Deadlifts (3 Sets)
Leg Press (3 Sets)

If you are looking for bodybuilding resources, I recommend www.bodybuilding.com Hehe...hopefully no more skinny joel soon :)

Love Letters 101 (REJECTED)

My Dear Love,

Yesterday, I was passing by your rectangular house in trigonometric lane. There I saw you with your cute circular face, conical nose and spherical eyes, standing in your triangular garden. Before seeing you, my heart was a null set, but when a vector of magnitude (likeness) from your eyes at a deviation of theta radians made a tangent to my heart, it differentiated.

My love for you is a quadratic equation with real roots, which only you can solve by making good binary relation with me. The cosine of my love for you extends to infinity. I promise that I should not resolve you into partial functions. But if I do so, you can integrate me by applying the limits from zero to infinity.You are as essential to me as an element to a set. The geometry of my life revolves around your acute personality.

My love, if you do not meet me at parabola restaurant on date 10 at sunset, when the sun is making an angle of 160 degrees, my heart would be like a solved polynomial of degree 10. With love from your higher order derivatives of maxima and minima, of an unknown function.

Yours ever loving,
Pythagoras