Rag Day

Today was Rag Day and as usual I got woken up by the repeated
announcements, hee. Anyway it was quite interesting to see most of
the floats and performances which the respective facs and halls had
put together. A culmination of 3 months' worth of effort. Of course,
my opinion on the necessity of such an event is reserved though.

It's T minus 2 days to school starting, and this time round I am
making it a point to get prepared for what the new sem may throw at
me. I've done up a study plan and my plan for my modules for future
sems. Kind of disappointed that I will not be able to accelerate, but
I guess it will do me good to take things at the pace I'm currently
taking and hopefully attain my 2nd upper.

The word 'Impossible' does not exist in my dictionary.

Some pics from my trip to Malaysia:




We did quite a bit of shopping at Mid Valley Mega Mall. The malls
are a few times the size of malls in Singapore.

Dad trying his hand at pool. By the way, I lost, because I hit in
the 8 ball by mistake.

The ice skating rink at Sunway Pyramid.

We stopped halfway for a toilet break somewhere in Johor...

Myself at the hotel lobby...


Continuation (part 2)

9 Aug
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Singapore's 41st birthday, but this time round I did something different. I skipped town to go to Malaysia (Petaling Jaya) with my dad.

Boarded the bus to PJ at 10am and had an interesting ride there. We watched a movie on the on board TV - Stealth, about some top secret technology with a poor storyline in my opinion - and dad made me solve some sudoku puzzles as well. Well, i lost interest in sudoku after a while but now i think it's a good time to get started on it again.

Will post pictures when i have time :)

The view from our hotel was magnificent. I saw the famous Sunway Lagoon that my KL pen pal (lost contact now) told me about...

Of course, I took the chance to get my hands (or more accurately my jaws) on some chewing gum. I bet that all Singaporeans go for chewing gum when they are overseas.

The malls in Malaysia tend to be much bigger than those in Singapore. I observed that while I was in Ipoh and Malacca before, and the size of the malls in PJ only tend to reconfirm my observations. Probably has to do with the fact that Malaysia has no issues with land scarcity.

I bought a pair of new shoes which I've wanted to buy for a long time. My SAF running shoes have reached the end of their useful lifespan anyway. Also, I bought a couple of nice bermudas for wearing at the hostel, and two nice shirts. Thanks dad for the gifts :)

10 Aug
------
Was basically a day being driven around by dad's friend and being given a running tour of KL. Didn't get to see the Petronas Towers though, to my disappointment. Maybe the next time...

Boarded the bus to Singapore at 6.30pm and arrived back at 12 midnight. Watched a movie, Armagaeddon on the way back.. about astronauts being tasked to blow up a rogue asteroid on a collision course with Earth. Well, I pray to God that such a scenario never befalls Earth.

11 Aug
------
Came back and found to my chagrin that I've been out-bidded for Malay. Oh well, now the bid points for Malay is 300+. I won't be able to afford it.

But, Jiefang told me that genes and society is interesting and going for only 1 bid point. Well, worth a try anyway. So I placed my bid and got it, which confirms my 6th module and thus my nomenclature for this coming sem.

I actually have a 7th module out there, intro to world religions which is still in the advance bidding phase. I may very well use my 2nd S/U on it if I do get it, and treat the module as non existent.

I am gunning for as many As as possible this sem. Difficult but "Nothing is Impossible if we put our trust in God".

Update in a long while

Okay, i owe you, my readers an update of what's been going on in my life

I just saw some blog posts with regards to RVSJAB. Some are not very flattering. But I respect my cadets' rights to freedom of speech. So, go ahead and blog, but stay out of trouble please.

Jul
--
Been busy with FSAE stuff, rushing to school after NP for lectures on race car engineering had been real tiring for me. I have since withdrawn from the programme... too stressful.

Late Jul
------
Been helping out at dad's office as he's busy running a course nearby. but he's invited me to join them for lunch from time to time which I have been doing so. Well, I made some new friends there :)

30 Jul
-----
Woke up real early in the morning to do public duty at West Coast Park. Anyway, it was quite peaceful and ended earlier than expected. No casualties too :)

3 Aug
-----
The whole day today was spent performing CSSP duty at NUS Matriculation Fair, in order to fulfil the CSSP component of my probation in NPCC.

Well, as I was wearing the uniform of an NPCC Inspector (which closely resembled the Police uniform), some of the people in the crowd who knew me thought I was a Police Scholar. Yeah, I wish.. :P

I realised that it is not only me who is fed up at the way NUS NPCC is run...

So, with that, I clear all the requirements for fulfilling my probation. Come 18 Dec 2006, I will become a full H/Insp (NPCC).

And, I made a new friend today.

5 Aug
-----
Went for CPR + AED course. Turned out they are practicing the new method of CPR, which is 30 compressions to 2 ventilations. I learned how to operate a defibrillator, something which was exciting and eye-opening.

Actually, I guess the learning curve was quite steep for some of the other participants present. My partner during the test had problems during the CPR component. I am concerned as to whether they are up to it when faced with a real life case. I am confident about myself but about the others... not so sure.

Went for zone meeting after that. I've been appointed to assist William Sir in the zone secretary department. Whether this will eventually lead to me going up to the Zone officially will remain to be seen.

At least I'm glad that we have gotten rid of the biggest red tape in the zone which is the SGT interview. Please, it's a waste of paper and time when all along I have never heard of any SGT being turned down. The next step would be to get rid of the SSG interview as well, and to get the zone to recognise the apex rank of Cadet Leader.

8 Aug
-----
National Day observance ceremony today. Woke up early again to go for the ceremony as one of the flag raisers from NPCC. The only thing was, instead of wearing our full NPCC uniform, we were wearing white shirt and black pants. Quite disappointed at that...

Anyway, i am at a stage where I am reconsidering my involvement in the NPCC, due to personal reasons. I feel that it is not where my area of interest really lies in anymore. Well, I started off being very enthusiastic about the Corps and all but certain events transpired which made me decide otherwise. I shall reserve my comments on this.

Went for NUS flag day after that. Got 2 tins... I arrived at Bishan MRT at 2pm only to find that my group was preparing to move to Toa Payoh. So, there I went with them to try and fill up my 2 tins.

So, for the next 5 plus hours, I basically stood around:

"Good afternoon Sir/Ma'am, donations for NUS please?" (repeated ad infinitum)

The end result was that I DID manage to fill up both tins.

Oh, might I add in, I managed to reunite a lost boy with his family ..heh. I returned to hall exhausted but happy :)

Exam timetable for Sem 3

Well i will have 5 core modules next sem, and managed to piece together my exam timetable as follows:

ME2143 28/11 evening
ME2113 30/11 evening
ME2121 2/12 PM
ME2134 5/12 evening
ME2103 Non exam

The sixth module can be slotted in... maybe right at the end of the exam period. Then I will have a feel of how I MIGHT have done for SSA2209 if I didn't S/U it.

Ok, basically a less punishing schedule than last sem. Hope it will somehow mean it'll translate to better examination results. The non exam module means however that consistent work is required during the sem.

Actually, i *could* still try to earn another year's stay in hall. OMC is almost over and done with (hopefully), EAL is there as it is (and I will probably just join as ordinary member), and I'll probably join another committee (probably Outdoor and Fitness which is basically manning the gym, or LSM which is basically duty storeman)

The other requirements will work themselves out i'm sure:) Not too concerned about the hall secret as I probably have a few external activities from NUS NPCC to cover the lack. If all else fails, there's always that place in PGP or Kuok. And they are bound to get easier to stay in, considering that by then, Law students will be staying in Old Raffles...

Well, i'm beginning to feel sorry for those involved in Concert.

The other side of the coin is that I have absolutely NO EXCUSE to screw up this sem. And that means that I am gunning for straight A- this sem.

New design and matthew needs to trust God.

I've revamped my blog... after two years of the same design:P

Right now, I am faced with decisions. Whether I should join FSAE. To prioritise my time to focus exclusively on my studies. Reason being that to attain my goal of graduating with a 2nd Upper Honours, I need to maintain a SAP of 4.3 for the rest of my university life. That means at least a B+, preferably A- on average for most of my modules.

It's not going to be easy. And a lot of people say it's hard. But hard is not impossible. And, the new title of my blog says it all. Nothing is impossible if we put our trust in God.

Thanks Jonathan for the testimony of your friend who needed 4.6 to raise CAP to 4.0. And he got into dean's list in the process.

I thank the One who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all whom I can ask or imagine, and I repent from doing things by my own strength, for it is at this point when I acknowledge that I am weak and cannot accomplish anything by my own strength, that He comes in and intervenes, and works miracles far above my expectations.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above all heavenly hosts, Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost. A-men.

FSAE

His(sic) guys

Congratulations! You have been shortlisted for FSAE. No interviews are necessary.

I will be gathering you guys for lessons starting next Tue night. Because there are 18 of you, I will confirm the venue later. The first class will be a general introduction to a race car and how this project is conducted as a whole. After that, what topic I cover each week will depend on availability of resources and personnel. I do involve my ME4s to help teach certain topics because by the time they get to ME4 they know more than me in their respective areas. When you get to ME4, I expect you to reach their standard too. For those of you who don't quit the team later, there's really A LOT A LOT A LOT for you to learn in these 3 years. But it will be a very enriching experience you will not find anywhere else in this country.

A/P KH SEAH

------
It's a long journey ahead. Will I be willing to sacrifice NPCC, SJAB and Hall for this, only time will tell.

Other Matthew Chuas out there

A simple google of myself turned up the following...

Me a diver?

Oh and there's also the econs teacher at VJC. He doesn't seem very well liked though...

Check this, and this out.

There are a lot of sites referencing an Olympian called Raphael Matthew Chua.

I wonder whether this guy wanted to use this blog address, and i beat him to it... and this too!

As a trivia, when I went for my medical check up (for enlistment), there were two other guys on the same day also called Matthew Chua.

SYFOC - the actual day

Whew! Back from one whole day of SYFOC - the actual day! It's a really satisfying feeling seeing that months of training which started from that day in March has come to this and I am really proud of the team of Officers, HI and CIs whom I have worked with during these past months.

We shall meet again, at some other HQ event or something. Thanks guys, it's been great working with all of you.

Oh, by the way, my tagboard is up! Do tag away and i'll respond (if i have time.. once term starts.. that is a big ??)

SYFOC

This post is dedicated to the Singapore Youth Festival Opening Ceremony for which training began in late March...

Late in January, Siming sent out an email asking for volunteers to come forward to help as key parade personnel and trainers for NPCC Day Parade and SYFOC. Naturally, I was quite interested. However, NPCC Day Parade (or NPDP as known) fell smack in the middle of exams so I had to rule myself out. (Maybe I can take part in a future NPDP if it falls during my IA, when I won't have exams.. But unlikely as i'll probably take B.Tech modules during IA.)

Initially, I went with the intention of trying out for parade personnel posts. However, at the last moment I was told that the organiser only wanted CIs. So I thought to myself, okay then, I still do not mind helping out in other areas...

Well, to cut a long story short, I do not regret being part of this SYFOC myself. I've made several new friends (other trainers like FIs/CIs, other HOs/HIs, the first aiders, etc) in the process who have helped to some extent smoothen my learning curve towards NPCC, and this experience has surely been a fruitful one for me.

This Saturday will be the actual day and the last time I shall see many of the CIs and trainers - the team of SYFOC 2006 whom I count myself blessed to be a part of. After this, I do not know when will be the next HQ event which I will be involved in - and I think it's mostly over for the rest of the fiscal year of 2006, with the exception of the shooting competitions like ARSC, .22 and .38 (the last of which, I might or might not be taking part). In 2007, there's NPDP (which I can't take part again due to exams), there's no SYFOC, there might be CIBTC chaperon (depends)... and of course during holidays there's
SANA and LMSC...

The thought that this process which I have been through with the rest of the team, is coming to an end.... it leaves a bittersweet feeling. Because, after 1 July, when the marchpast is over, and the dust has settled, we will all go back to our own schools and units.. and life goes on as per normal.

I already miss coming down to HTA for training so often.... and kind of dread that very soon, I will be moving back to Hall and resume the cycle of studying and my books...

The next SYFOC where NPCC will be organising will be in 2010. By then, I will have graduated from NUS and will possibly be working, or in NIE (or whichever prepartory training for other civil service jobs i wish to join.) I do not know who will be the in-charge then. I do not know if I will even choose to continue with NPCC after I graduate. But I will definitely not be medical OIC again, need to give the chance to other new HOs whom I am sure will be up there by then. But I still do not mind helping out on the actual day itself, to support the actual medical OIC...

SYFOC 2006. An experience I will never forget.

Pek chek

As of now I have succeeded in gaining a place in Hall on masters' list. I will have to commit to OMC and EAL as MM. However, i decided that I do not wish to stay in hall from year 3 onwards.

- My CAP suffered as a result of my involvement in Hall activities as, due to DnD and Open House, I barely had time for my studies.
- Just as I thought OMC resources work is more or less settled, Float came along with another set of requests. Reasonable, or not, I shall not go into it here.
- I feel I wish to focus my time more on my core CCAs - NPCC (of which SANA is a subset) and St John, instead of spreading my resources too thin. I continue to have passion for NPCC and St John - and I feel that where some ppl excel in the Sports and others excel in the cultural, I excel in the uniformed groups which unfortunately is not really represented at the tertiary level. Whereas, for Hall activities, it is really doing for the sake of doing and I don't find it enjoyable at all. At worst, it takes away time which I can use on my other activities like NPCC, St John and my studies.