Pulau Semakau... Where's that?!

Today, together with some of my colleagues went on a Learning Journey to an island called Pulau Semakau.

I had never heard of this place before, except that it's some kind of landfill. I envisioned it to be a place filled with rubbish. Smelly place, of course, or so I thought.

Google Map of the Pulau Semakau...

But to my pleasant surprise, it was nothing like that.



Yes, Pulau Semakau is actually quite a nice place. Really. Look at my smiling face. :)

Basically, let me try to summarize Singapore's solid waste (or rubbish) management. Every day, waste collection companies will first collect waste from various places. Then these trash will be sorted into incinerable and non-incinerable. Those that are incinerable will be sent to the 4 incinerator plants in Singapore. They will be burnt and reduced to ashes.

Then all of these ashes, together with the non-incinerable trash will be ferried to Pulau Semakau. They will be used as landfill around a marked-out boundary, which will form some kind of reclaimed land. Eventually by 2040 (estimated), all of the empty spaces will be completely filled and Pulau Semakau will no longer be useful for landfill. And we will need to find other ways to dispose of our trash.

We have to prolong the lifespan of Pulau Semakau. Every one has to learn to practise the 3 Rs. Exercise personal responsibility.

Reduce!
Re-use!!
Recycle!!!

On a lighter note, the island is also used for recreational activities - like stars-gazing, sport fishing and inter-tidal walks (to see the sea animals like starfishes, etc). One couple even took their wedding photos there last year!

Today had really being an enriching day for me.

That's life...

Just a day ago, I received news that one of my secondary school classmates, Eugene (not his real name) suffered a relapse. He was found to have cancer of the blood a few years. Thankfully, he was able to overcome the illness at that time.

Until now.

And so it happens that Eugene had a very good friend, Jason (not his real name again). I was in the same class as the two of them when I was Sec. 3 and Sec. 4.

Jason had passed away about 4 years ago. Cancer of the blood as well.

I really asked God "Why?". Eugene and Jason are both of the same age as me. Good academic results. Good people. Good characters.

My heart was really heavy when I went for service today. When I read Psalm 27, together with the rest of the church, it gave me great comfort. Though I still don't have an answer as to why things had to happen to Eugene and Jason, I believed that I will eventually see the goodness of God in this fallen world, and not just tragedies. I just need to wait.

13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Life can be unpredictable. Are you cherishing every moment of your life as if it's the last?


There's something practical you can do for Eugene. If you're between 17 - 50 years old and are reasonably healthy, do go down and register yourself as a Bone Marrow donor. You just need to give a small amount of blood to be checked and fill up a simple form. Find out more at this website: The Bone Marrow Donor Programme. You can save lives.

'B' Div Basketball SZ Match 2

RI played against Pei Cai Secondary today at CCAB.

Right from the start, we closed down their players with tough defense. We did full-court press for all 4 quarters. They could not find their rhythm throughout the whole game.

Final Scoreline: RI 65, Peicai 36

Thank God for the win! We're up against Henderson Sec next. If we win that game, we will be through to South-Zone 2nd round.

Come on, lads!

Do You THINK Before You Talk?

One of the most difficult thing to control is the tongue. Most of us tend to talk without thinking. At least, that's true for me personally. I tend to talk too much and at the wrong time sometimes.

I shared this with my form class a few days ago.

"Do You THINK Before You Talk?"

Is it ...

True?

Helpful?

Inspiring?

Necessary?

Kind?


Hence, do try to THINK before you shoot your mouth off next time.

'B' Div Basketball SZ Match 1

Last Friday, RI played against Guangyang Sec in the first 'B' Division South-Zone Basketball match at CCAB.

Right at the start, it was quite clear that we're the better team. Our guys are so much bigger than theirs. However, at the start, we seemed to be nervous and pretty soon, we were down 9-8. After a timeout call by the coach, we reorganised and stormed back into the game.

Eventually, we won by a scoreline of 69-24.

Good win. Two or three of our main guys were not in 100% condition that day due to sickness. Yet, we could play up the intensity of the game. The tempo was high and everybody worked hard.

This coming Friday, we're up against Peicai Sec. Their guys are tall and lanky. It's not going to be any easy game.

Go Raffles Go!! DTFW

Lasair: flame on!

About two weeks ago, RI had its annual Sec 1 Orientation Camp.

The theme of the camp was Lasair: flame on!

Boys been boys, a camp will bring them closer together than any other activity. Thanks to Sec 1 Year Head, Mrs. Maas and the Peer Support Leaders (PSLs), this orientation camp was really fun and successful. The Sec 1 boys really got to bond with one another, first as a class, then as a batch.

I hope that the Sec 1s will enjoy their time in RI, and that their passion for learning will always be there.

Auspicium Melioris Aevi!!

It's been 7 years since I...

Last Thursday night, I received a shock sms.

"You have a new NS Call Up. Please check http://www.ns.sg/ to find out more."

I had finish my National Service on 22nd May 2002. From then until now, I had been placed in a holding list and hadn't been call up for reservist. Until now.

My first reaction to this sms was fear and uncertainty. I had became a specialist (3rd sergeant) at the end of 2000. I became a BMTC (Basic Military Training Centre) Instructor after that. Hence, it's been 7 years since I 'chiong sua' (means fighting in the jungle) with Standard Battle Order (SBO).

SBO looks really familiar...

I went on to check the website. And things kind of got worse. I'm asked to go for Annual ICT (In-Camp Training) for 3 weeks (!?) in July.

My next reaction was predictably "God, why me?!?! 3 weeks?! So long..."

I was whining and grumbling for some time. Until my girlfriend, Dawn pointed out to me that there are several things to be thankful about in this situation.

I finally then calm down and became more rational. I thought about what Dawn said, and it really make sense.

1. I thank God for my ICT because it gives me an opportunity to lose weight! Isn't that one of my new year resolutions?
2. I thank God that SAF informed me 6 months in advance and hence, I can make adequate preparations, especially in school.
3. I thank God that the ICT timing doesn't clash with my Marriage Preparation Course (MPC) Classes.

Sometimes, seemingly negative situations just need a change in perspective.

Back to army! Preparation phase (now): Get back into fitness.

Are Your New Year Resolutions S.M.A.R.T.?

One of the key reasons why people fail to achieve their new year resolutions is because their resolutions are not SMART.

Don't get offended. I don't mean SMART as in clever or something.

SMART means

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Realistic

Time-framed

We need our goals to be tangible, and not vague. Let me try setting some SMART new year resolutions..


1. I want to lose weight and hit below 70 kg by the end of the year!
At present state, I'm about 78 kg. This means that I have to cut down on fried food and fast food. I must exercise regularly. My aim is that I will go to the gym 3 times a week.



2. I want to go home for dinner 3 times a week (twice on weekday nights, and once on weekend nights).
I really want to spend more time with my family. Family ties are important to me.


3. I want to finish at least 4 Christian books by the end of the year.
In 2008, I want to enrich myself. When I read books, I really can tap into the wisdom of people who are far wiser than me.

We're in 2008!!

I wish everyone a Happy & Blessed New Year! May this new year be filled with more blessings & joy than ever before.

Yesterday, Wai Mun Tribe had a very special thanksgiving event whereby we came together as a spiritual family and thank God for 2007. It was a time of fun, laughter and joy in the Lord. We played games like Winning 11 (thanks to Kenneth & Tzer Wern, my cell group won!), Bang and Bluff.

After games, we had a good time eating KFC, thanks to Elkan's cell who bought the food. Then we went to time of thanksgiving by individual cell groups. I realized that all of the cell groups gave thanks for the closer relationships between one another.

Nothing matters more than relationships with one another. I thank God that I'm closer to my spiritual family than ever before.

Subsequently, at night, we all went to Expo for our FCBC Countdown Party! It was really a night of excitement and fun. All the clappers, lightsabers, balloons and plastic balls. Most significantly, as a church, we entered the year 2008 together.

I'm just so excited about 2008!!