No Reserves, No Retreats, No Regrets

Just got a taste of how it must feel to be retrenched...or dumped by SMS. LOL. See, I got a new tuition job supplementing a kid's other math tuition around 2 weeks ago. That's the duration I've to teach without pay. I guess I wasn't being strict enough, or I took too long to warm up. But after rushing home from school today to grab a 10 minute dinner before heading out for tuition, having psyched myself up for it even though I was ready to just sit on the MRT floor to sleep, got a late SMS from the agency saying the tuition kid's father had decided to terminate my contract. Yeah, so just like that, no direct word from him or any communication, my 10 minute dinner wasn't 10 minutes no more. In the end, it wasn't about the money really, but the way this sort of confirms stereotypes about Singaporean parents. But one thing in the midst of my disappointment with how this turned out (I should be glad for the time freed up), I thank God that at least, looking bac...

Mark 2: 21-22 (NLT) "Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins." What's the difference between those who receive miracles from Jesus (Mark 2:12) and Mary Magdalene, who was delivered from demons? More demons? What's the difference between Levi, the sinful tax collector and one of Jesus' 12 disciples, and those who make up the background, perpetually at every healing scene, proclaiming and praising God (Mark 2:12)?

=) I was just remarking to Siok Teng, that I love this Semester the best of all! It's the first where I really feel integrated as an undergraduate, the first where I feel that the modules are challenging AND relevant (essential essential), and the first where I'd actually shoot of bed to get to the only 1 hr lecture for the day! I'm officially broken in. My advice? Don't fight it - plunge in with all you've got. You'll find it isn't as bad as you think. Especially when you know Who's behind you. Cheering. =)

It is best in times of stress, to stop and contemplate the source of it. If my own expectations are behind it, then I've got to adjust it. If it comes from people, then I gotta find that balance - to resist it or find another way to respond. If it comes from the workload, meaning that there truly is more work than can be humanly done, then I gotta stand back and wonder if I would be happier if I didn't have this work to do. There must always be time made to stop and check. Every point of frustration is an opportunity to get a breakthrough in my mindset. An opportunity missed means a round trip back to the same point. Today, my breakthrough is in that I should never complain about having to use more of my brain. If I play hard, then it is only justified that I work as hard. So... plowing on.

Oh man, I didn't know what I've been missing on OKTO channel! > Awesome film: The Lives of Others A German film in the Socialist age before the fall of the Berlin wall, depicting the ironies of the Socialist regime. It shows how the State observes and spies on its members suspected of anti-State activities... The most amazing scene to me was how, in this sterile building with grey walls and straight lines, there could be a room with files and files and organized folders based on every suspect's movements. The film stars a writer who has come under suspicion, not for any idle word or joke against the State, but because his lover, a beautiful artist named Christa-Marie, caught the eye of a official, Hempf. A middle-rank officer, Wiesler, is sent to take charge of the full surveillance of the writer Georg Dreyman. Wiesler is meticulous; the bugs are everywhere, even in the bathroom. And he in turn occupies the attic above Dreyman's apartment, for half a day, listening a...

The weeks ahead's going to be really busy... one thing i learnt though, not to let tomorrow's work get to you today. you do what you gotta do, and that's that, no point losing sleep over it. still, having real awkward schedules =) like going running at 11pm. still have to train. Life's full of deadlines... but when you choose not to live your life as dictated by the world - telling you how much you have to do before you're good enough - and see life off the beaten track as the great Adventure, as what you're made for, then it's going to be alright. it's even going to be FUN. =)