An entry in a long while...

So it seems I haven't been back here for such a long time. Guess it seems there's nothing for me to blog anymore. Life after graduation from poly has been pretty much mundane.

Each day is like a repetitive cycle. I'm not sure what's happening in my life. There's nothing to look forward to these days. Especially not when I can't play soccer anymore. It's as if my drive departed together along with.....

It's not lethargy, rather, its indifference. Indifference towards life and events around me. Nonetheless, army beckons.

Aaron out.

Name Of The Game

Was terribly bored. So i attempted this: (got it from a friend's blog)

1. Put your iTunes/Napster/Zune Player/WinAmp/etc on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
I'll Be Seeing You- Michael Buble

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Power Rangers Turbo Theme Song

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Everything But Mine- Backstreet Boys

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
The Way You Look Tonight- Michael Buble

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Who Wants To Live Forever- Queen

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Love Changes Everything- Andrew Lloyd Webber

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
I Only Have Eyes For You- Jamie Cullum

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
YMCA- Village People
(Mum and Dad are still cool man!)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Lover, You Should Have Come Over- Jamie Cullum

WHAT IS 2+2?
I Wanna Be A Popstar- Jamie Cullum

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
We Will Rock You- Queen

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Want To Be The First Man You Remember- Andrew Lloyd Webber

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Apologise- One Republic
(Yes, I do apologise quite a bit.... maybe its in my nature to take things upon myself.. hmm)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Indiana Jones Theme- John Williams
(Well, I always wanted to be a either a Power Ranger or Indy....)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Only Have Eyes For You- Jamie Cullum
(Yes... so true)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Our Last Summer- Mamma Mia, The Movie

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Everybody- Backstreet Boys

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Home- Michael Buble

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Any Dream Will Do- Andrew Lloyd Webber

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
More Than Words- Westlife

WHATS THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Oh! Carol- Neil Sedaka
(HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA! TALK ABOUT BAD EXPERIENCES......)

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Upside Down- Jack Johnson
(Ouch. )

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Yesterday Once More- The Carpenters

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Something Stupid- Frank Sinatra

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
We Are The Champions- Queen

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Angel- Jack Johnson
(Good sign I suppose...)

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
You Should Be Dancing- BeeGees
(Dancing was never my forte)

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Another One Bites The Dust- Queen
(WTH..... ok, this is freaky...)

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
I Wanna Grow Old With You- Westlife

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Stop And Stare- One Republic

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Name Of The Game- Abba

This seems super scary man.... totally unscripted and random... ok, i'm a bit stunned...

One last week of internship...

So six months of sweat, time, effort and fun will soon be over this Friday. I've thoroughly enjoyed my stay at TODAY newspaper. The things I've learnt, the articles I've done, the friends I've made and the experiences I've had, will last me for a long while. Seems only like yesterday when I was praying about a writing position for my internship. Indeed, God has blessed me in this aspect. I'm thankful for this portfolio of articles I have. Hopefully they will put me in good stead in the future.

How I also miss those months when I was working in the CBD, and food was good. Lunch with Tim Tay and Frolick sessions at Millennia Walk with Pam were almost a daily routine. Then we shifted to Caldecott Centre, boy, were the first few weeks hard to handle. No close friends nearby, no good food.... lunch breaks and rest times were tough.

Not before long, I'll be graduating and it would mark the end of one chapter. A new one would soon follow- army. I can't imagine how fast time has flew by. The next few years would definitely be life-changing. But until then, maybe I'll just savour these moments for times like these are few and far between.

Till the next post.
Aaron reporting inthetopcorner.

MCFC ends 2008 in resounding victory!

As the year comes to a close, one of the major highlights of my life would be the formation of Mount Carmel Football Club. I’m so glad I need not look any further to look for close brothers-in-Christ than in our team. For all the sweat, blood and tears shed, in addition to all the jokes and laughter shared, I’m glad we have grown- not only as players, but also as a group of friends in Christ. I’m encouraged to see that the Beautiful Game is not our common link, but by our God-centered friendship.

Here’s a tribute to each one of you. (Apologies if I’ve missed anyone out)
Keith
Impenetrable, Solid, Dependable

Tim Tay
Fearless, Strong, Perseverer

Mark Choo
Tough-tackling, Hard-hitting, Trigger-happy

Mattheus
Fast, Precise, Marauding

Kern
Swift, Skillful, Free-Scoring

Marcus
Visionary, Anchorman, Defensive

Aaron Lee
Feisty, Impulsive, Dangerman

Uncle Tai Wah
Forceful, Decisive, Resolute

Uncle Sam
Evergreen Veteran, Energetic, Limitless

Vincent
Creative, Ball Controller, Passer

Seng
Breakneck, Dribbler, Goal-Poacher




So MCFC ended the 2008 season with a marvelous trashing of an anonymous team 7-1. We thought that we were in for a long afternoon after conceding 10 minutes into the first half. But due to some intelligent play plus additional trial and error, the home team managed to find the opposition’s weakness- long aerial balls into the heart of the opposing defence.

They cracked. And MCFC was up 3-1 by half time with superbly placed goals from Seng and Kern. However, Carmel was counting their losses after a feisty first half. Seng who scored twice earlier had to be taken off the match as an opposing defender injured his right ankle.

Carmel was also buoyed by the return of their first choice keeper, Joel. His goal was impenetrable after the first conceded goal. The confidence grew with each save and parried made.

Shawn Poon replaced Aaron Lee at the start of the second half and paired with Vincent up front to good value.

Vincent, one of the substitutes on Carmel’s bench stepped comfortably in the striker’s role. Adding speed and depth were the two wingers of Jansen (left) and Kern (right). They tore up the opposition’s defence with finesse and with ease. The havoc they wrecked caused so much damaged that an additional 3 goals were pummeled past their helpless keeper.

Back down the field, Carmel’s central pairing of Tim Tay and Keith were rock solid. Magnificently covering for each other and closing down attack after attack. Marauding full-backs Mark and Mattheus showed that they had more reason to attack than defend as they poured forward to assist the midfielders.

Uncle Sam, Marcus, and Poh Heng were also having a good day in the office when they dominated possession. They also harassed the resisting team.

Late into the match, Mark had to be replaced by Poh Heng at right-back position due to a muscle cramp. Aaron Chong replaced Kern only for Vincent to drop into midfield.

A wonderfully through-ball from Shawn Poon split the opposing defence up. Aaron Chong latched onto Poon’s vision and added the icing on the cake for MCFC with a toe-poke placed finished past the demoralised rival keeper.

Soon a bust-up occurred between the frustrated rival strikers and Joel. The referee gave the instigating striker his marching orders for violent conduct and the game was abandoned for the safety of Carmel’s players. Nevertheless, this match would still go on record as a resounding victory for MCFC to end of a year of brilliant football.




Aaron looking forward to a brand new season of exciting football for MCFC in 2009 and reporting inthetopcorner!

Youth Camp!

This might be the very last youth camp I will ever attend, so the feeling's really quite bitter-sweet. Well, truth be told, i'm a tad disappointed that my good pals would only be coming in the evening after their work. And it seems like i'll be the only one from my batch to be staying through out..... Hopefully I would be able to become a mentor to the younger ones and make new friends.

I never expected to be as involved in this camp as I thought. Would be helping out in a couple of stuff, from being station masters in multiple activities, to leading worship on campfire night. At the end of day, it's really all for God, and for Him to make this camp a huge success. May our youths be impacted by it, and their spiritual lives, transformed.

Looking back on the past youth camps, indeed those were awesome times. Life-defining moments which still have their impacts till today. Perhaps one could see going for youth camps as a phase of increasing spiritual-maturity, or spiritual rejuvenation. For me, this year's youth camp can be seen as a transition into another phase of life- from a boy, becoming a man. It's hight-time I acted like one too!

Even with the absence of my best pals, i'm still going to cherish every moment of this final youth camp. Hey, after all, there are other close friends still attending!

Aaron out!

Gimme a G! Gimme an O! Gimme an A! Gimme a L!!!!!

GGGGOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A great game, a goal, and a celebration to boot!

I had a wonderful game against the adults yesterday!~

Even caused Uncle Tai Wah to score an own goal under-pressure. Hehe!

Nonetheless, it was a brilliant performance from the boys and a valiant effort from the adults. 6-4 was the final score. Youngsters Ian had a pretty good game in goal and at leftback, while Tim Tay was an awesome back-up keeper. The presence of Mark Choo at right-back wasn't missed as Shawn Chew proved to be an able deputy. Marcus and Aaron Lee played beautifully in central midfield, linking up play between Kern and Shawn Poon on the wings.

Uncle Sam ran the show for the adults, running at pace and will with the ball at his feet, spraying passes to his teammates and assisting wonderfully. Chris Tham showed why he's still called up to the team by the adults with a delightful hat-trick. Andrew, though had a good game, didn't deserved to concede the goals he did. The adults were simply outpaced by the more energetic youths.

Another rematch two weeks from now!

Can't wait!!

Aaron reporting a snippet from thetopcorner.

MCFC Stumble Against Hermon 3-3

In a brave attempt to exact revenge on their opponents, Hermon came out of last Saturday afternoon's match against Carmel, the happier of the two teams. Despite being buoyed by the return of Left-Back, Mattheus, Midfielder, Marcus, and Striker, Aaron Lee, MCFC drew 3-3 against their cross-history opponents.

This latest result also came as an expected one, as Carmel were without their first and second-choice keepers, Joel and Andrew. Top scorer, Seng was also absent for the match. A makeshift keeper had to be drafted in, and evergreen Uncle Sam proved to be an able replacement when he kept the score reputable even though he conceded a penalty in the first half.

Carmel, at their homegrown in Lian Hua Primary came out strong in the first ten minutes with all guns blazing. Kern, Vincent, Aaron Chong and Aaron Lee pounded the Hermon defence shot after shot, but to no avail. Vincent broke the deadlock soon after with a brilliant strike past the opposing keeper.

Meanwhile, Zhi Yang and Marcus controlled their central midfield with aplomb, spraying balls to their teammates and protecting their defence, led by an aging Uncle Tai Wah.

Halfway into the first half, terrorised by the quick strikers of Hermon, confusing broke out in the Carmel box and a penalty was given for an offence committed. 1-1.

Boosted by the confidence of new boots, Right-Back, Mark gave one of his usual reliable performances.

The second half began in earnest and Uncle Sam was now replaced from his keeper position into an attacking player. The switch left rookie Uncle Sok Chuan in goal. The move proved to be a fatal mistake later on during the match.

Carmel's cohesion as a team was questioned when cousins Shawn Poon and Keith had a bust-up on the pitch. Keith's urging of his cousin to run and challenge for balls was met with dissent from the latter. Aaron Chong then replaced Shawn Poon on the left wing as Poon stormed off the pitch.

Uncle Sam soon allowed MCFC's lead to be restored with a spectacular solo effort as he rolled the ball into the Hermon net. But Hermon drew level after the Carmel defence failed to clear a loose ball off their penalty box. A Hermon player was on hand to rocket the ball past the aimless Uncle Sok Chuan. 2-2.

MCFC had to thank Uncle Sam as he scored a real poacher's goal when he sneaked near the Hermon keeper who had spilled the ball. The evergreen player was more than delighted to help himself. Vincent and Kern led Carmel's attack and continued to pound the opposing defence in a search to put the game beyond Hermon's reach.

Calamity for Carmel soon struck when the slow defence was outrun by Hermon's pacy striker Jia Yi, who had dribbled through the centre-backs and also the oncoming Carmel keeper. Hermon drew once more as Jia Yi grabbed the equaliser. 3-3.

Despite MCFC having an average game, the presence of a stable keeper and the speed of Seng was sorely missed.


Aaron, reporting inthetopcorner