Leaders' Retreat

Q1. How do the ministries fulfil the vision and mission? Are any of them redundant? Do they do enough?
A1: Mobilise people to do God's work. Fulfil members' potential through ministry.
We must be motivated not because people ask us to do things, but because we're doing it for God. Responsibility out of obligation to the body won't work, but initiative and volunteerism will. If we consider our ministry more important than anything else, our attitude will change.

Q2. What is Agape's strength and X-factor? How do we use this?
A happy and friendly church. Our hospitality is our X-factor. By using JOEL to reach out to neighbours.

Q3. What is your dream for the church and your ministry?
Agape: To grow in spirit, numbers and talent.
Men's ALG: To be relevant to men and to be a source of godly counsel specific to their needs. To have a team willing to love and serve one another. To bring people into Agape through relationships. TO have a system of mentorship to be accountable to one another and raise each other up.

Baka-neh!

Bakku-shan:

A girl who appears pretty from the back but looks like face kena langgar from the front.

The!

What to Winnie the Pooh and Alexander the Great have in common?

They have the same middle name.

Socks!

I bought
Grey quarter socks and white ankle socks for $2.40 each from IP Zone at Plaza Singapura

Linguistic training

Ever notice how Outram Park station is pronounced differently on the NEL and the East-West Line?
The NEL, run by SBS Tranist, goes "oh-tram", while the East-West Line, run by SMRT, goes "oo-tram".
I say their trains should go head-to-head to phonetically out-ram the other.

Also, both companies MUST randomise the multilingual platform announcements. Failing which, in an emergency, our Tamil-speaking foreign talents will be the last to run and first to die.

Fourth Day at Work

Things are progressing well.

I now have a webmail account, so I'm getting more involved in office affairs. I also don't have to get on the phone as much, so that's good for my ear. Doing my best for this company.

The mark: The Beast rules the world

I read
LaHaye, T., & Jenkins, J. (2000). The mark: The Beast rules the world. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Week 11 Review: Fantasy Football

Well done all!

Week 11 has just passed.

Aaron (982 pts) clings on to 1st place with his lowest weekly score of 52.5 pts, no thanks to Hernan Crespo, Nolberto Solano, and Jose Manuel Reina.

The gap is now 133.5 pts as Chongkiat (848.5 pts) holds on to 2nd place with 63 pts.

Benedict (845.5 pts) consolidates 3rd place, 20.5 pts ahead of Gareth (825 pts). He is now just 3 points behind Chongkiat.

Amos (687.5 pts) rises two places to 9th with the 2nd highest Week 11 score of 85.5 pts, thanks to Dennis Rommedahl.

Syafiq (588 pts) consolidates 16th place with the 3rd highest Week 11 score of 81.5 pts.

Jasmine (673 pts) rises one place to 12th, just behind Benjamin (679 pts) with the highest Week 11 score of 89.5 pts, thanks to Emre and Lauren.

At the other end, aelu85 (418 pts) is clearly nonsense with a worst score of 26 pts.

See you next week!

Fantasy Football Week 11

This is my team for Week 11. Owen and Reyes are injured!

Hernan Crespo
Replaces Andrew Cole and El Hadji Diouf. Poised to start with Drogba out. Against Everton? Pao jia.
Crap.

Darren Bent
Last chance saloon.
Crap.

Laurent Robert
Replaces Jermaine Pennant. Pennant away against Blackburn, so Robert comes in against Charlton.
Crap.

Nolberto Solano
Replaces Jiri Jarosik and Matthew Etherington. No one else will have him. Hope he starts and provides ammo for Shearer.
Crap.

Michael Essien
After a performance like that against Betis, let's hope this ignites him against Everton.
Crap.

Morten Gamst Pedersen
Replaces Jose Antonio Reyes. Will perform against Brum at home.
Crap.

Nigel Reo-Coker
Replaces Lee Young Pyo and Tal Ben Haim. Change of heart over him. Better pay off. You've screwed me over for the last time.
Undeserved crap.

Chirs Powell
Replaces Pascal Chimbonda, Stephen Carr and Liam Ridgewell. With Bouma injured, Villa's defence are barebones, so the England one-cap wonder is back.
Absent crap.

Asier del Horno
Replaces Danny Gabbidon. The revelation of the season is back!
Decent crap.

Jose Manuel Reina
Cheapest of the lot.
Biggest crap.

Projected points: 97.1
Actual points: 52.5

First Day at Work

Man what a slllllllooooooooowwwwwwww day. Slower than Angela with velcroed soles. Spent 9 hours excluding lunch calling and calling and calling people I don't know. Getting my call transferred here and there and finally getting a negative reply.

Not to mention trying to market something costing $1,309. I mean, who'd buy that over the PHONE? I guess my job is basically to reinforce brand awareness.

Colleagues are flustered but nice: they just leave me alone cos they're so busy. This reinforces the fact that marcomm (or mass comm for that matter) isn't for me.

In the meantime I'll just collect $54 a day. If I do this for the stipulated three weeks, I get a cool $810 minus agency fees. If I can stay awake.

Five Biggest Problems of the 21st Century according to Rick Warren

1. Spiritual emptiness
2. Ego-centric leadership
3. Poverty
4. Disease
5. Illiteracy

Alemay Fernandez gig

Jasmine and I went to this coming home gig of a homegrown jazz singer, herself a Mass Comm grad. She showed her versatility with R&B, jazz standards, Top 40s, and even TV themes from the 80s. Fantastic value, and the band was outstanding. The bassist (Joshua Wan) even played an entire song by himself. The keyboardist plays for a-Mei. The drummer switches limbs and time signatures like nobody's business. Boy those hands are fast. The guitarist explores the complete versatility of the Strat.

All in all, a great, cosy journey into what music makes Alemay Fernandez tick.

Shopping Spree!

Had such a great time shopping for a watch, wallet (for me) and ring (for her).

Here are our conquests:
Caught in a Circle Swatch Irony (blue face) for SGD169 at Takashimaya
Black Teuer 351W Braun Buffel wallet for SGD123 at Takashimaya
OK the ring's a secret...
White New Critic short-sleeved shirt for SGD22.20 from ProjectShopBloodBros at Wisma Atria
Dark grey New Marshall pants for SGD28.20 from ProjectShopBloodBros at Wisma Atria

Phwoar!

Green cotton Hollister short-sleeved polo shirt

I bought
Green cotton Hollister short-sleeved polo shirt for SGD19.90 at Amara Shopping Centre

It's nice lime-green terry-cloth polo. Good for chilly days.

One Hundred Years

Abraham Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives in 1846; John Kennedy, 1946. Lincoln failed to win the vice presidential nomination in 1856, Kennedy in 1956. The republican conventions of 1860 and 1960 were held in Chicago. Mr. Lincoln was elected to the presidency in 1860, John Kennedy in 1960. Lincoln defeated Stephen Douglas, born in 1813; Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon born in 1913. John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln, was born in 1839, Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President Kennedy in 1939.

Both presidents had vice presidents named Johnson. Andrew Johnson served in the House of Representatives in 1847, Lyndon Johnson, 1947. In 1860 and 1960 both VP's were serving as Senators. Andrew Johnson was older than Lincoln and was born in 1808, Lyndon Johnson, born in 1908, was older than Kennedy. Even though Lincoln was a republican, both vice presidents were democrats. Andrew Johnson was defeated for re-election, Lyndon Johnson elected not to run for a second complete term. Andrew Johnson died of a stroke; Lyndon Johnson a heart attack.


OTHER SIMILARITIES

* Both presidents won their respective elections with less than fifty-percent of the popular vote.
* Each was concerned with the issue of civil rights.
* Both presidents while in their thirties, married women in their early twenties.
* Both wives suffered the death of a child while in the White House.
* Lincoln and Kennedy repeatedly spoke of, and had dreams regarding, assassination attempts.
* Each was subsequently warned by advisors not to attend the events that led to their death.
* Lincoln and Kennedy were shot from behind, in the head.
* They were killed on a Friday, and in the presence of their wives.
* The assassins, Booth and Oswald, were southerners who favored unpopular ideas.
* Booth shot Lincoln in a theater and was captured in a barn, a warehouse. Oswald allegedly shot Kennedy from a warehouse, the depository, and was arrested at a theater.
* Lincoln was killed in Ford's Theater, Kennedy was killed in a Ford automobile; a Lincoln.
* Both Booth and Oswald were killed before going to trail. The popular belief is that the two presidential tragedies were conspiracies with subsequent governmental cover up.
* The names Lincoln and Kennedy contain seven letters.
* The names Stephen and Richard, their political opponents have seven letters each.
* The name Johnson contains seven letters.
* The fathers of the presidents, Thomas and Joseph respectively, each have six letters.
* The names Andrew Johnson and Lyndon Johnson each contain 13 letters, as do the names of their wives, Eliza McCardle and Claudia Taylor.
* The names John Wilkes booth and Lee Harvey Oswald both total 15 letters.

Blue cotton Banana Republic short-sleeved shirt

I bought
Blue cotton Banana Republic short-sleeved shirt for SGD29 at Amara Shopping Centre

Week 10 Review: Fantasy Football

Well done all!

Week 10 has just passed.

Aaron (929.5 pts) consolidates 1st place with the 2nd-highest Week 10 score of 106.5 pts, thanks to Andrew Cole and Jose Manuel Reina.

The gap is now 144 pts as Chongkiat (785.5 pts) holds on to 2nd place with 79.5 pts.

Benedict (779 pts) clinches 3rd place, 8.5 pts ahead of Gareth (770.5 pts). Benedict rises a place with the highest Week 10 score of 121 points, thanks to Frank Lampard and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Theophane (690.5 pts) rises one place to 6th with the 3rd highest Week 10 score of 101.5 pts.

Jasmine (583.5 pts) rises one place to 13th, just above Teckseng (581.5 pts).

At the other end, Gary (229.5 pts) is clearly dreaming in Fantasia with a worst score of 14 pts. He's the worst scorer for the second week running.

See you next week!

Fantasy Football Week 10

This is my team for Week 9. Most of Utd's defence is injured!

Jermaine Defoe
Replaces Yakubu, Owen. A gamble, as Keane, Mido and Rasiak are all fit. Hope he scores against Everton. Spurs have sometimes flattered to deceive when favoured to win.
Gamble kinda pays off, but should've bought Mido or Yakubu

Andrew Cole
Replaces Heskey. I was really torn in two here. But I felt I had too many eggs in one Brum-sket. So Cole it is. West Ham's defence isn't the best. Vassell and Cole could terrorise Carroll's injured thumb.
Two goals from Andy Cole, he scores goals!

Darren Bent
Home game against Fulham. Too good to drop.
Bad display. Never caught fire.

Jermaine Pennant
I'm having an unhealthy number of Brum players, considering how I picked against them last week. I dropped Heskey, but Pennant should represent a healthy supply line.
Decent supply line.

Jiri Jarosik
Replaces Claus Jensen. Cheap and good! That's all I'd rather say.
Didn't even start.

Michael Essien
Keeping him against Bolton. Please try a shot or two.
Bleah.

Jose Antonio Reyes
Damn gui. But will keep him in the King's absence.
An assist makes him worthwhile.

Lee Young-Pyo
Hope he's fit.
A decent 6 points.

Pascal Chimbonda
Replces Carragher, Sun and del Horno. Curiosity got the better of me. I got the one with the weird name. Wigan have been resilient this season.
Well done. Solid performance at Wigan right-back position.

Nigel Reo-Coker
Replaces Bardsley and Steven Taylor. He's back! Let's see whether he proves me right!
Decent total. Really should be getting more from a midfielder.

Jose Manuel Reina
Replaces Lehmann. Liverpool home banker. Bellamy's out.
As predicted.

WORK!

I start work on Monday at Singapore Conference Hall at Shenton Way as temp telemarketer. For three weeks only. Let's see how it goes! Measly $6/hour.

Constant change

Do you realise how Singapore is in a constant state of improvement and change? We'll never see in Singapore in a "complete" or restive state simply because there is always renovation and construction work going on. No urban landscape is spared; everywhere from Tuas' industrial development to Changi Airport's Terminal 3 is just getting bigger, better and brighter. The Singapore will never rest on the Sabbath and say: It is finished.

Wash out!

Was really really really really looking forward to playing soccer yesterday. But it POURED. SIIIIIIAAAAAAAANNNNNNN......

TGIF!

Well I've basically spent the whole week slacking, but have achieved a few things:

1. Bought storage
2. Went for interview at job agency
3. Met up with Hafiz

And now I'm off to Arthur's house for some gaming, then off to Tanjong Pagar to collect movie tickets, then to church. Hope to start work next week. Lobang anyone?

Ikea spree!

I bought $70 worth of storage space at Ikea. Boxes, shoe rack, drawers. Totally worth it. =]

The 13-Year-Old Christian

22-year-old Aaron Wong (Aaron Wong) has done quite a few things in his life. He's looking for a cushy job doing admin at a Raffles Place office, a nice apartment with a proud collection of books and CDs, good friends, a nice attitude. But there's just one little thing he hasn't quite gotten around to doing yet--something most people have done by his age. Done a lot. Andy's never, ever, ever evangelised--not even by accident. So is that such a big deal?

Well, for Aaron's buds in church, it sure is. Although they think he's a bit of a guai kia, there's certainly a planetful of stranger (and homelier) guys who've at least had one go at having a go. They consider it their duty to help Aaron out of his dire situation and go to great lengths to help him. But nothing proves effective enough to lure their friend out of lifelong chastity until he meets Benjamin Chew (Benjamin Chew), a 20-year-old soldier of two years. Aaron's friends are psyched by the possibility that "it" may finally happen...until they hear that Aaron and Ben have begun their relationship based on a mutual no-evangelism policy.

PS: You already know the ending, guys. Thank God that Ben has recommitted his life to God. BTW this was adapted from the official synopsis of the 40-Year-Old Virgin.

ORD loh!

Yes ladies and gentlemen, I'll be officially an NSMan on 10 Oct 05. Or will I? I'm PES E9L9, so I guess that doesn't apply. I can look forward to a long an fulfilling career without fear of disruption of NS. I pray this will be the catalyst for my recuperation from my eczema.

I'll be starting work in an admin temp job soon, till the end of the year, and in Jan 06 I'll begin teaching as an untrained teacher. This is where MOE and I will suss each other out to test our compatability. Till then, pray for God's guidance for me.

To all my fellow servicemen from the Ace Brigade, I wish you all the best and many more fulfilling moments in your NS. S3 Branch: You want pizza? Jio me out!

Keep rocking guys, Ex Razor Blade (whatever) coming up!

As for me, I'm really gonna enjoy my Monday.

Ace Sets the Pace! Hooyah!

Naive

Why does mineral water that has trickled for centuries in the mountains expire in a few months?

Sentosa

So
Expensive
Nothing
T
O
See
Actually

About ME

Here are some facts about me.

Disclaimer: Now see the answers would be really boring if they all involved Jasmine, so I'm gonna exclude her from everything. For some questions the answer is her but I'll find an alternative answer.

What's in my wallet:
No notes, a few coins, miscellaneous cards, guitar picks, heart-shaped straws, yellow ribbon, receipts, 11B etc.

Favourite shoes:
Wow so many. Green Reef ones, Yellow-black Nikes, Red Adidas Stan Smiths.

Clothes i cant live without:
Nah I can do without all of them. Nothing really stands out. Except those with maybe sentimental value.

Something you're looking forward to in the upcoming months:
ORD, anniversary, teaching.

Something that you are extremely afraid of:
Losing: Things, people.

Believe in forgiveness:
Of course! Do unto others as you'd want others to do unto you. Easier said than done though.

Favorite foods:
Anything goes. No seafood, bittergourd, brinjal. Pastamania, gelato, soft-boiled eggs, coffee, chicken rice etc.

My father thinks:
I don't get enough rest.

My mother thinks:
I'm too messy.

Everybody thinks:
My eczema sucks.

What makes me happy:
Playing football, United winning, Jasmine, jamming, winning at pool.

Upsets me:
My skin on bad days, nagging.

What you cook:
I cook up good stories.

You have a secret you have not shared:
Yes.

Song you're listening to now:
*snort*

Person you've last called:
Jasmine

Person that last called you:
Jasmine

Person u last sms:
Julian. Asked him how Goal! was.

TV show you last watched:
EPL Highlights

Thinking about:
Taking MC tmr

You drink:
Water

You like roller coasters:
Ex leh.

Ever been in love:
Yes

Ever been kissed:
Yes.

Ever been arrested:
No.

Makes you laugh the most:
Weepoh. His Sally jokes are tok kong.

Last time you did something interesting:
Toured Paragon.

Last time you were totally happy:
Playing soccer.

What's your favourite colour:
Colour blind lah.

What're you planning to do tomorrow: Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

The 40-Year-Old Virgin

I was at the premiere of this hilarious movie.

Despite the predictable appearance of condom jokes, drunken antics, chest hair waxing and other puerile ingredients, this is a moive with a heart, and actually has a story to tell.

Starring Ben Stiller look-alike Steve Carrell, this film goes beyond the typical tit parade and actually explores the circumstances that created this lovable 40-year-old virgin.

All in all, this is a roller-coaster ride through the birds and the bees, and you'll find yourself rooting for the adorable anti-hero.

I highly recommend this movie, especially for the guys. Some of the scenes are just priceless.

For the ladies, if you want to know what makes guys so shallow and sex-obsessed, this movie will fill you in.

The highlight of the movie has to be Elizabeth Banks, who plays nymphomaniac Beth. The tub scene is jaw-dropping. That's really all I can say, you have to watch it yourself.

Week 8 Review: Fantasy Football

Well done all!

Week 8 has just passed.

Aaron (823 pts) retains 1st place with 98 pts, thanks to Darren Bent and Jose Antonio Reyes.

The gap is now 117 pts as Chongkiat (706 pts) consolidates 2nd place with 78.5 pts.

Debutant Gareth (675.5 pts) clinches 3rd place, 23 pts ahead of Benedict (658 pts).

Jeremy (543.5 pts) returns the highest Week 8 score of 146 pts to rise six places to 9th.

Hingyau (647 pts) consolidates 5th place with the 2nd highest Week 8 score of 109 pts. Syafiq recovers from being Week 7 wooden-spoonist to consolidate 17th place with the 2nd highest Week 8 score of 109 pts.

Jasmine (517.5 pts) drops four place to 14th, just behind Amos (521.5 pts).

At the other end, Gary is clearly dreaming in Fantasia with a worst score of 32.5 pts, especially since many others scored well.

See you next week!

Fantasy Football Week 8

This is my team for Week 8. Del Horno's injured!

Michael Owen
A tad expensive, but he has a good chance against Pompey. No other striker really stands out for that price.
No other striker really sits out for that price. Last-minute dead leg.

Robin van Persie
Brum have only 13 fit players, with Butt and Melchiot missing, Arsenal should win comfortably. Replaces Harewood.
Close one there. Came on and scored. Remains to be seen will change it to an OG.

Darren Bent
Keeping faith with him. Has a home match.
Had doubts but he poached two.

Frederik Ljungberg
Arsenal's my hope this week.
Decent total, but thought he'd be mroe involved than 10 pts.

Dean Whitehead
Cheap and good! Home game against the Hammers.
Phooey. Should've bought Tommy Miller instead.

Michael Essien
His defensive stats are astounding! Getting him for this in an expected 0-0 draw. Replaces Arca.
Spot on with his defensive prowess. 8.5 pts from that alone. Who knows if he'd tried a shot or two?

Jose Antonio Reyes
Hope he repays me for my faith in him.
6 SOTs and no goals? Only and Arsenal striker could do that. He'd be top scorer by a mile had he done that, but I'll settle for him being MY top scorer.

Lee Young-Pyo
Why am I keeping him? Don't expect the clean sheet, but the attacking stats might make up for it.
Where was he?

Chris Powell
Replaces Carragher. Cheaper mah.
Poor performance from all my defenders this week.

Nigel Reo-Coker
Still doing OK.
Poor performance from all my defenders this week.

Jens Lehmann
Chance of clean sheet with Campbell back. Also Brum are a long ball team.
14 pts through little effort. Teams really need to test him.

Corpse Bride

Just watched it, an enjoyable 80-minute romp thorugh Tim Burton's macabre imagination. There were many laugh-out-loud moments, including a couple of nods to the director's infuences.

Go watch it! Edgr, Jiahui, Jasmine and me really enjoyed it, despite being reeeally sleeeepy.