Month: August 2008

  • A day of fun and laughter

    "I listen to the stories that spanned 13 years of difference,
    and for each person that narrates a new world emerges.
    As if by magic, I've traveled with them and back...
    to the many places and experiences that each of them shared.
    Almost like a journey long and tedious,
    I return to the reality of this mundane four walled room."

    ~Reuben's thoughts~


    It was awesome just to meet up with the old AMKMC people.
    It's just so amazing seeing how each one of the friends we know grown...
    The strange thing is that after 13 years everyone still looks the same.
    Young, recognizable and retaining each of their special character traits.
    While some of them may have a different hairstyle, longer or shorter hair...
    As we spoke and shared everything else is pretty much, well the same!
    The interesting thing though is how each of us has gone through different experiences.
    Joshua went through his NSF like as a medic, and that motivated him to do Life Sciences.
    Josiah took a module in Business IT about law, and went on to pursue Law ever since.
    Dorcas enjoyed her coffee girl days became a teacher and dreads marking her student's English work.
    Lydia studied in Perth, works in a huge church and absolutely enjoys her life there.
    Jocelyn got a job with a production firm and makes music videos and video ads in the region.
    And the story ends with the closure of Swensens in Plaza Singapura.
    At 11pm, we "adjourned."

    Other than live stories memories flocked and returned.
    They even reminded me of Oswald bringing a mattress to the P6 Church Camp,
    and even reminded me calling Jeremiah "Mucus Boy."
    Even Joshua remembered our "secret sharing sessions,"
    and Jocelyn and Dorcas would remember the secret crushes of their friends.
    Basically the times may change and the seasons may pass,
    but the memories we hold dear can never fade away that easily.


    Every year I would join the World Cyber Games Singapore Qualifiers.
    The only time I was ever serious in my e-sports was back in 2005.
    It was that era where Counterstrike: Source was chosen over Counterstrike 1.6,
    but since then it had reverted back to CS1.6.
    So since I've never installed 1.6 since 2005, every year I would join WCG for one purpose alone.
    To get my WCG Shirt and Player Tag.


    Even my team name was "Playing for Free Shirts"

    Well this year's shirt was different.
    In previous years the shirts were black, cotton and at one point had horrible design.
    This time round, it was either the designer was a Chelsea fan or he just liked blue collars.
    All in all it was a dry fit shirt that was white and simple - definitely a fresh new look.
    So that's my 2008 WCG Shirt and Tag!
    Guess now I have every year's shirts except for 2007 and for good reason...
    the shirt looked so bad I gave it away.

    Other than playing we had the chance to watch a stage match.
    And for the first time in a long time, they had GOOD commentators!
    I had that gotfrag feeling the moment they spoke...
    They reported very accurately and kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
    It was really a different and good take on the event.
    Really hope they would keep having commentators in the future years.


    CS1.6 Team WWF "Walking without Fear" up against...


    CS1.6 Team "BallisticX," the result? A whooping 16-0 to WWF.


    The main stage with the commentators in the centre.

    Cybergaming in Singapore has a long way to go.
    And my team XTC still has a longer way to go in terms of standards.
    While many of us love the competitive nature of the game,
    few are willing to go the extra mile to promote Esports in Singapore.
    What the future holds is certainly uncertain,
    yet what it holds depends on the choices and effort we make.
    While no one will have the power to do everything,
    Everyone of us has the power to do something.



  • The Lengths I go for this Art

    "It is mine. It can be done. I will make it happen -
    The line that controls the boundaries between reality and illusion...
    I will bend it to my will and defy all logic.
    In the darkest nights and the brightest of day,
    there I will be secretly but surely
    ready for the impossible and there to make it possible"

    ~Reuben's thoughts~


    There's one hobby and thing that I do,
    that seem to satisfy me even when the preparations involved is...
    is utterly ridiculous.
    Like getting up 5.30am in the morning to "revise" my routine.
    I'm talking about the Art of Magic.
    And I still can't believe that I'd rather get up early to set the stage right,
    than to sacrifice my beauty sleep.

    What drives this?
    What could possibly make Reuben miss his sleep?
    Why did I have difficulty sleeping last night?
    Was it the complex Graphene Paper Prof Wee sent me in the email?
    *okay I'm not supposed to talk about Physics here*
    Was it the disturbingly gross video "Chainsaw Maid" on Youtube?
    I think the only real reason is because,
    I love this Art and I respect it enough to give the practice it deserves.

    I once told my magician friends this.
    "If a magician can't even respect this Art, then even I cannot give him my respect"
    It may seem harsh but seriously this is AN ART.
    It's not about showing off, or giving the impression you're "one up" ahead.
    It is the art of entertainment, creating wonder and leaving a memory or a smile.

    So what then drives me to do what I do?
    It's easy really...
    the smiles of my audience, the memory they bring with them.
    Those are enough reason for me to make sure they remember that little magic they had,
    especially in the days where logic seem to govern our very existence.


    Smile and remember, run off and wonder.
    At that one moment in time, the rules of the world bends.


  • Rewind the Pendulum

    "A chain of memories string together intertwined,
    at present everything and all things seemed sweet and fine.
    Lives return to struggles and pain,
    only to make us stronger and better day by day.
    Ten years the last we met,
    finally memories flood and laughter resound
    bringing us realization and recollection,
    to the days where we had no qualms"

    ~Reuben's thoughts~


    Technology is awesome.
    If I hadn't started an account with facebook,
    I doubt I'd ever establish contact with Josiah and Jeremiah.
    Those 2 are one of the good pals I had back in AMKMC days.
    And it was darn awesome just catching up on old times.

    Memories flooded and laughter followed,
    as we recount many church camps and events that happened a decade ago.
    Over at Coffee Club Express at Takashimaya,
    I was with friends who I've not seen for ages, and yet they look exactly the same 10 years back.
    Maybe it was some kind of magic, maybe it was just us.
    But whatever it was, it definitely felt warm just catching up with them.

    I'm not in this picture, but this brings back dozens of memories


    Is it that difficult to forget stress and work and just enjoy the company of your other half?
    Perhaps it is... 
    especially when one is working in a high stress work place,
    with bad politics, sadistic people and a huge underpay.
    But none the less,
    It feels even more miserable to be dis empowered,
    when my presence is not enough to bring a smile to the face of my loved one.

    In such situations very random and pessimistic thoughts run through my brain.
    Sometimes doubting the very things that I had complete confidence in.
    However when I recall the little things she says or does,
    then I remember that perhaps yes its true,
    that she really deeply loves me the way I love her too.

    If only life was like a typical love story,
    without all the stress, hardships and doubts.
    But then again without the things that crush us,
    how else can we withstand the more devastating things before us?