The reflecting theologian

It is this time of the year again when I must take stock of my previous year. I usually do this really towards the end but I foresee that I will not have a lot of time on 31 Dec and 1 Jan. So as usual, the normal practice, I prefer to review the past year first. January Work pace was still slow, and things were going as per normal. There were 4 newcomers joining in the cg (previously my cg, YGC2) but unfortunately, they disappeared thereafter, which was a pity. But the unit grew quite large as a result. I was beginning to get used to the work that I was doing... although I was still doing menial stuff and there wasn't much to do anyway, given that my AD was so busy. I was also called to be involved in the planning for the YG conference, which was a big thing for me, as I prayed that I could get involved in the planning of YG conference 2010. And that kickstarted some late nights at Mount Sophia... oh well... those were the days. February This month's highlight was the YG ...

My new semester is on the way going, after a bit of struggling with the bidding for the first time in my life. So what are the modules that I'm taking this sem? HY4207 - 1 point BSP1005 - 529 points MNO3303 - 984 points Total - 1414 points Well, a lot of points for my last semester. I wiped out my entire G account... as if I care.... This is also going to be the first sem where I see a 2 days week and the first sem when I'm going to end my exam before the end of the first week. In terms of workload, I'm not so concerned about MNO3303 and BSP1005. I'm going to more or less S/U MNO3303, so the workload isn't much of a concern. BSP1005 sounds heavy but then, it's microeconomics. HY4207 is the one which may have an impact in my semester as it might be a heavy one for me in terms of forum participation and readings. My Honours Thesis is picking up pace but then by God's grace, I should be able to meet my deadline. So a 2 days week with mon-wed free days ahead....

The time has come for me to review my past year and to think about the new coming year. January Basically nothing much really happened in January other than my birthday celebration. Except for one detail - that the cg was undergoing some testings and trials and crisis, or rather it was the beginning of it. I also managed to get my first 2 lvl4000 modules, which was quite ok. February Eventful month. I got to go for field trips with Farrell to Malacca and Sarawak, although I have to miss DCLTP camp in the middle of it, which was quite regrettable. It was fun in Sarawak, saw the results of many years of missionaries in the villages and managed to cross over to the Indonesian border. Also found out that I got into the dean's list as well. CG wise, it was quite a scary month as I needed to do a lot of adjusting to the new situation in the cg. Had a bit tension here and there also. March It was a time when I had to deal with a lot of stuff. Matric. I was in the main comm for matric, whi...

A new semester, a new year ahead. A brand new experience as a honour history student. Let's review a bit on my week so far (though it's only tuesday) HY4218 - I volunteered for the presentation next week. I chose to do so to clear all my presentation as early in the semester so that I can go for my mission trip and LC in peace. The course is non-examinable and the lecturer is nice. The only problem I have with the module is that it tends to get a bit too theoretical with Japanese history. And the readings are a bit chim. HY4210 - This is a good module with good discussion and potential. Today we discussed about the three schools of thought regarding historiography and malaysian history. My presentation should be taking place in week 11. God bless me cos think got a lot of deadlines here. HY4101 - The essay due with the same time as the essay due for HY4210. The module looks 'siong' and the lecturer's expectation quite high. But overall, I have been reading up on his...

I was on the bus just now, after my exciting lvl 4000 lesson on imperialism and empires in Malaya. I was excited by what I am going to do in the coming semester... then I realise a distinctive dichotomy, which may or may not be reconciled. I realise that I get excited over interesting historical argument and being able to do research and make interesting argument in return. I also realise that I get excited over thinking about how can I make use of technology to do business and explore new business opportunities. Two distinctive potential routes for me, is there a possibility of reconciling two distinct interest? Perhaps maybe after I exited my first business, I may want to take a short break and pursue the other interest again... perhaps

Surprisingly, this semester marks an easier time than last year trying to bid for modules. So here are the modules that I have gotten: HY3240, Making America Modern: 1 points (preallocated) HY4205, War and diplomacy in Early Modern Europe: 1 point (preallocated) HY4209, Imperialism and Empires: 1 point FNA2002, Managerial Accounting: 1 point FNA2004, Finance: 1 point I least expected 1 point for HY4209. Taught by Brian Farrell, my favourite lecturer, I thought that I would not get this module this semester. Then I realised at round 2A that it is available for bidding. Thank God that cos it's an honours year module, I can only bid it in 2C. At the beginning of 2C, there were 7 bidders for 4 slots. Minimum bid was 2100 and above. Maximum was 2400 something. I decided to bid for my time. Waiting till close bidding, I showed hand all my 3000 plus points in. Thankfully, at close bidding, there was 4 bidders left in the competition. Eventually, when I returned home from movie, I got the ...

As we enter year 2008, let's review a bit on what happened over in 2007. January I got to know Julia, perhaps the only project group mate in NUS whom I have quarreled with over and over again. The weekend before my birthday was also a weekend in Bangkok, attending a BLM seminar. Of course, before that trip, I got news of the Sub-district restructuring. It was a traumatising experience for me to be separated from the care group, but I managed to get over it by the time I returned from Bangkok. February Nothing much, except adjusting to the new cg, also adjusting to the new role of armor bearer in the cg as well. March Hanes came to know Christ on the 21st. Also a hectic month as PisangFan began its first and only pilot test. I had to stay in Debbie's house a few nights to perfect the PisangFan recipe. April Successful completion of the pilot test and successful completion of PisangFan's marketing plan. Also started preparing for Alpha as part of the programming team and plan...

Well, it's another Christmas that was gone. Went Christmas Eve caroling as usual. But when i was caroling, something struck me out loud. We were singing Silent Night, and as I was singing 'Radiant beam from thy Holy Face', I suddenly found it quite funny that we were singing this. Well, look back at Luke: In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for t...

And now, I shall update my readers on the modules I have gotten for this semester: HY2237 - 1 pt HY3241 - 1 pt MNO2311 - 1636 pt TR3002 - 1 pt I spent more points bidding for one module than I ever spent on bidding for the past 4 semesters. And somemore, it's a module I'm planning to S/U. And in case you are wondering, I'm only doing 4 modules this semester, cos HY4207 is still far far away from my grasp. So I decided to take 4 only and apply for a seven and a half month iLead internship next sem, which will allow me to clock 16 MCs. Somemore, since the internship allows me to take off to take modules in school, I will be able to make up for the lost modules. And so, as it turns out, unless God gives me HY4207, I'm stuck with 4 modules, and it will mean that I will have only 3 modules to worry about, with 2 final papers to fight for... meaning a slack semester? I dun know... maybe God has a plan for me. Maybe... it may turn out that I need to extend my time in NUS...lik...

Have been dormant in terms of blogging these days. Quite true, since I'm still suffering from a certain writer's block, and it seems that nowadays, when I want to post some meaningful post, it tend to take me 2 weeks of thinking through before I can actually type it down. But then, think once school reopens, should expect quite a lot of thoughts coming in. I was thinking about my own bidding for tomorrow, other than going sing KTV and going for my guitar lessons at Believer Music. Before I carry on, yes, I am currently taking a beginner's class in Believer Music. For those who are curious, I just want to say that the more I learn about guitar and worship, the more I realise that I dun know a lot, and I have to admit that all these while, other than the occasional lessons (last time) with QP, and some tips from people like Weizhu and Jan, I have sort of tried figured out the guitar by myself. Limit as I am, it turns out that my fundamental may be too weak for me to proceed, ...

This semester I had wanted to take HY4207, Special Paper in Military History, but I think the class is full since I can't bid it in the CORS... and I can't find it in the list of level 4000 history modules... That is the module that I would trade for anything to get it (within my own biblical boundaries of course)... I pray to God that I will get that module, man... Think will have to wait till round 3 and see if there is any hope... dun know that Farrell's mod is so popular...

Spirit, touch your church, stir the hearts of men Revive us, Lord, with your passion once again I want to care for others like Jesus cares for me Let your rain fall upon me I just came back from the uni church camp, that I personally had a hand in planning. The theme this time round is Soul Survivor, Outpour Outgrow Outreach. What happened? For me, the camp started some one month ago when I started to meet up with the rest of the camp committee to plan for the camp. I was in charged of the programme with SL, mainly for the activities that the people will be going through. From that point onwards, it was getting a bit of a mad rush, as we ran into difficulties, had to redo the programmes over and over again. It was tiring, to the extent that it started to affect my effectiveness in other stuff, the saddest of all is that I didn't get to spend enough quality time with the cg. The camp started out for the rest at Escape Theme Park on Tuesday night 8pm where they built, in their respec...

It is Wednesday into the school reopening. I have attended 4 lectures, formed 2 project groups, and had 1 project discussion online. Other than that, it has been quite slack for me. But I have made a choice to start moving into 6th gear by the end of next week. I'm giving myself 2 weeks to settle down (actually 1 week, but I'm giving another week to move to 6th gear, so altogether 2 weeks to 6th gear.) Meanwhile, I have a TR2201 project group, in which, by God's grace, I have 2 sisters from church taking with me. That's a comfort, although I know that I dun mind if I have to end up with a completely strange group together. In TR3001, I managed to meet my project group members from TR2202 and MNO1001 together, and the four of us decided to form a group. It's great of God to allow me to work with people I know for this semester. Certainly by God's grace it is. I was also browsing through articles over the net and I found this from Crosswalk.com which I wanna share...

Year 2 sem 2 is going to start soon as we exit from the festive season. So what am I taking this coming semester? This coming semester I will be taking: Cold War in Europe Asian Business and networks Intro to Economics analysis Entrepreneurial marketing New Product development All these modules, I spent 1 point for each as usual, although I spent a total of 6 points altogether all thanks a little screw up on my part. I had wanted to take engendering history, but I decided that the combo of Hong Lysa and Sai Siew Min is proving a bit too much for me to take... so I decided to drop that pre-allocated module and take New Product development, which is non-examinable. Upon reflection, this may be a wise choice, given that so far my SJAP for my minor mod has been way higher than the current SJAP for my major modules, although I have only taken 3 minor modules so far. Imagine, I have 2 A- and 1 A for my minor, and I have 1 A+, 1 A, 3 A-, 1 B and 1 B- to show for my major, I would rather bet m...

Now for New Year resolutions, here they are: 1) To become a better person, physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually 2) To obtain an average cap of 4.2 - 4.5 3) To expand YP Bukit Panjang Branch and be more involved in YP 4) To expand the YRC, or at least let it grow 5) To make more new friends 6) To be able to help my friends in times they need my help 7) To lose weight 8) To complete half marathon All in all, one sentence to sum up all: I want 2006 to be a more happening year than 2005. Oh, let me list down the things which I dun want myself to be caught doing in 2006: 1) Drinking myself dead drunk and committing a two-piece mistake 2) Slacking and ending up knowing nothing about lecture 3) Got obsessively involved in BGR, though if it comes, I can't help 4) Spend 300 points for a module which cost 1 point for others. I made some reslolutions in the beginning of the year. Now, let's see how much I have achieved. For number 1, I have certainly become a better per...

I was checking my grades for the last exam. It was a heart-nerving experience. But anyway, here's what I saw in the sms by NUS: HY2217 B HY2243 A- HY2246 A- MNO1001 A- TR2202 A CAP: 4.23 Quite a surprise. HY2217 was the module which I know has the least chance of getting an A, cos of my project, but it will still remain my fav mod of the sem. TR2202 was a surprise, cos I expected a B+ the most, given my relative quietness in the forum... or maybe if I have been more active, it would have been an A+. The rest was sort of a bonus. I didn't expect an A- for HY2246 too, though HY2243 was quite expected and hoped for. MNO1001 was a difficult one to gauge, cos I didn't really know how I do as compared to the rest. The final paper was a bit of a disaster to me, cos I had a stomachache and I can't concentrate on the paper properly. The score for this sem is 4.4, a 0.1 improvement from last sem, only a difference between a B and B-. Quite sianz could have made it to the Dean...

I just realised something. If you guys have not realised, I have a tracker in this blog which basically track how many unique visitors are there in my blog every day and it compiles a list of datas about the visitors (other than their id) who reads my blog day in day out. When the holiday season began, my daily attendance, which used to average 20 per day, dropped to arond 5-7 per day. Now, the attendance rate rose back to the way it used to be during last sem (I added this tracker sometime before last sem started). My only conclusion is this: there are bo liao people from NUS, taking the same mod as me and who are as bo liao and bored as me, going into the ivle frequently dun know what to do and decided to click on the class roster to see who is taking the same mod as them and as the class roster reflects those who has put down their website or what, these bo liao people chose to click on the links and entered the blogs of people and began to read their blogs. This only happens during...

I guess it has been quite a taxing time for the past and the next few weeks. So far, let's see what have I left after clearing the test yesterday: EU1101E - cleared tests and simulation JS1101E - Project paper 90% done, due 13 April FNA1002 - Project report 25% done, due 10 April, cleared test and presentation HY2229 - cleared tests HY2245 - Project simulation due 17 April, cleared essay and book review Now, I have the last test of my semester yesterday. I must admit, I didn't really studied for the test (a bit too complacent) and I just read my lecture notes 2 hours before the test. As usual, I can only pray for God's grace and mercy to be upon me. I must say, the test turned out to be rather... interesting. If one were to enter LT11 in the midst of the test, you wouldn't be able to locate where I am, since I was covered in smoke, as a result of the smoke grenades that I keep throwing. But on a more serious note, despite the lack of preparations, I was really quite rea...

Today marks the end of my 21st year of human existence and the beginning of my 22nd. Seriously, life passes by quite fast. To think that last year I celebrated my 21st birthday with Lilong alone in some ulu camp in an isolated air conditioned tentage and that I had previously celebrated my 19th during my BMT field camp, being tekan by my sergeant in the middle of powder bath. This year, however, proved to be a festival. To begin with, the celebration started on 21 Jan, when my fellow NUS Unit A brothers and sisters celebrated with me at the Singtel building behind Somerset MRT. Quite a fun time we had and crazy Xinying and Kiadai actually made me act out my route to my faith, but then it was quite refreshing to refresh myself with the memories. For those who want to know more, my previous blog posts are filled with details. They also gave me a 'bowling ball' for a birthday card... and the cake was nice (well, made by Claire). Actually had a good time that day. 22 Jan was celebr...

Had a good day today. Firstly, as my bidding on the CORS ended, let's review my own performance for this time round. Here's the result slip: JS1101E - 1 pt EU1101E - 1 pt HY2229 - 1 pt HY2245 - 1 pt FNA1002 - 1 pt Total - 5 pt Whoaz! Great improvement from last semester. Maybe it's a good idea not to bid for cybercrime at all. I heard that by the end of open bidding, next min bid was 840 points. It's insane. It virtually drove all year one students out of the competition. But well, I got what I wanted in the end, so no complaint. Today, I managed to learn something about facing the New Year and since these are tips on how we can face the new year ahead and since it's only 4 days into 2006, I have decided to share these tips with all of my readers. 1. Recognise the value of time Young people like ... me... these days have the tendency to waste time on things which we could have put to better use. According to a research done, an average human being spends 14 year...