Do You Know...

Paul Scholes? The guy Hwei mentioned in her blog? Well, he is really bad at tackling even though he can score a lot of goals. The world seems to agree on that too.

One more chance, ref? Please??

Here are some of the articles written by professionals about him.

Taken from Team of the Decade

...One of the best passers in the game, his eye for the crucial ball put him at the centre of United's attacking play and his goalscoring ability (either from one of his trademark volleys, or a well-timed run into the box) made him a legend at Old Trafford. His awareness on the ball, vision and technique make up for a chronic lack of tackling ability.

This taken from Team of the Week

...Using all the 35-years of experience in that flame-red noggin of his, Scholes sidestepped Jody Craddock before firing an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. His all-round game - apart from his tackling, of course - was exemplary.

And this, from his Profile

...Though he still can't tackle - he never could - he is still a vital cog at United and will be sorely missed when he eventually decides to hang up his boots.

The best part is, they always talk about his achievements and superb skills before mentioning his tackling ability.

Heck, if I can't tackle, I'll punch!

mav3 says:

i love man utd & man city
man city for the weekend only
hahaha

I get shy when people say good things about me. I'm shy all the time. says:
hahaha
me too
for once there is unity between the 2 manchesters
now it's back to hating man city

mav3 says:
yea

Chap Goh Mei does wonders. It makes Manchester United fans like Manchester City for one night only.

I Heard...

About the freakish injury suffered by Aaron Ramsey, a football player, playing for Arsenal. The dude who tackled, Ryan Shawcross, was obviously feeling bad about it. The video's here if you want to watch it.



It's quite horrific. Hopefully Aaron will get well both for his sake and Ryan's. Ryan is only 23 years old while Aaron is 20. Both of them have so much years of football ahead. It'd be really bad for Ryan if he has to always live with the guilt of ending a young player's career and Aaron if he can't play the sport he loves anymore.

At times like these, people see footballers no more as footballers of a rival club, but rather as humans.

May both of them be alright.

Pray.

I Passed...

My Undang! Ya, I'm a bit lagging behind, I know. Was busy enjoying the little things. Anyway, driving instructor was supposed to pick me up at 8.30 but came at 8.45 or so. I think by now I can tell his clock at home, watch, and the clock in his car are 15 minutes slower. The last time also he came around there.

He dropped me off at the Undang place and I took the number. It read 43. I was like "So early in the morning still so many people take the test ar? No school meh? No work meh?" I waited outside at first with 3 others who were studying. I would have loved to study but I didn't bring my book because I thought I would probably be the only one to go for the test today. I got nervous when I saw them studying so hard while I was looking at the wall, and then my shoes, and then the wall again, and then my shoes. Literally.

When I went in, there were about 10 more reading inside. The longer I waited, the more nervous I felt. So I looked out the window to see the students doing 3-point-turn and stuff at the driving school. I saw a few naik bukit and then slide down again. They gagal-led. That made me more nervous. I waited until 10.10 before I could go in. By then I was so-very-the scared already.

The lady told me to use Computer 10. I went in and took some time before I could find that darn computer. Anyway, I read the instructions and did the eye test thing. I passed. I did one more test where you just follow exactly what they put on the screen and I got one wrong. I was like 'OOPS! Oh noes! Hancur! Mati! Die la! How to take the real test like that?!?!' and had to retake that part. That wasn't very helpful in building up my confidence man.

Thankfully, I managed to get all correct this time and went on to do the 50 questions. Prayed to God first before doing. It was relatively simple until I reached question 40. There was a dude on my left who left when I was doing 40. I saw the results.

GAGAL

WAHLIU! I became nervous again. I so did not want to see the word that it made me hardworking and I checked again. But then my hardworking-ness was shortlived la. I stopped at question 30+. Oh ya, while checking, there was this next dude who sat beside me, and he was quite blur. Even blurrer than my sis. Amazing! He asked me what to press and stuff although instructions were clearly given. It's like we're in a school exam, papers are distributed, and he asks me what to do with the paper. Thinking back, I really do hope he managed to pass.

Back to me, myself and I, I passed! Goshies, so glad and thankful for it. In fact, I was so glad and thankful, I would have belanja-ed anybody I knew if I saw them. Too bad though, none of you whom I knew were there.

I'm Back...

But somehow it feels like a lot has happened. Youth time change, scandals here and there, new buildings popping out. Time seems to fly really fast when I'm not around.

People always slow down on good things and hasten time when it's not good.

Time seems to slow down in Malacca when I'm around.

Time seems to hasten in Malacca when I was away in GLO.

Logical.

A Post To Raymond

Yep, I'm back from GLO, but Raymond was always in my mind during my entire time there. I prayed for him, and asked the other students to pray too. I had faith that Raymond would be healed, however serious his condition was, if God would just say it.

I made a point one day to fast for him. I was inside the room while the students were having dinner. I prayed very hard to God, asking Him to heal Raymond because he was young and had a lot to offer for Him here, not forgetting that he was just engaged. I seemed to forget what the lecturer for the first week said,

"When we pray, we're not telling God our will, but placing ourselves in His."

I didn't understand what that phrase meant until that day when it all became clear. If God intended to bring Raymond home, then so be it. May His will be done. But at that point, I was just praying that Raymond be healed. It was my will the whole time when I prayed.

Just as I finished praying, I suddenly remembered Job. There were two verses that came into my mind and they were,

Job 1:21

And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Job 2:10

... What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?...

That was God's answer to my prayer; that at every situation, whether Raymond lives or dies, the Lord's name be blessed and I should accept the outcome. It's funny how I always thought that God seemed to be out of control when someone nears death, as if calling Raymond home was never part of what God wanted. Now, a week after his death, I know what God's will is; to bring Raymond to a better place, Home.

Of course I'm sad at the loss of a friend, but nevertheless, I trust that he is somewhere much better than when he left off, and if that is so, may God's will be done.

Ray, thanks for the fun times we had together. I'll be looking forward to seeing you in Heaven.

For us here, may these verses encourage you the way they have encouraged me during my time in GLO.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I'll Be Going...

Away, to a far away place, so far even driving there sounds crazy, insane, siao! The horror!

No, not the North Pole.

I'm going to Taiping, Perak. Attending Glo School for the whole month of January. It's like a Bible school where you, err, learn more about the Bible and God? It'll be my first month in my 17-year life spent without my family nearby. Oh gosh, it feels like I'm in Survivor or something.

Oh-yee-yeh-yeh-oh-yee-yeh-yoh!

I'm not mourning, it's the Survivor theme song. By the way, the school doesn't have those tribal-free-you-from-agony voting.

Well, initially I wanted to join Glo because my two sisters had already joined the school before. They spoke about how the lessons were good, enjoyable (I think) and fun the people they met there were. So I, in my rotting year, decided to join it also. I really do want to learn more about God and also to find another 17-plus-year-old guy who is going through the same things I'm facing, a guy whom I can relate to spiritually and a guy who is firm and makes me realise the wrong things I'm doing and prompt me to change them.

It's not like I can't relate to my dad or any young adults in Youth or anything. It's just that they have probably been through what I am starting and it can be a wee-bit lonely sometimes. Gosh, I talk like I'm just entering puberty and got menstrual issues. To make it simple, take a look at Shuen, Sin Yee, Melissa and also Hwei, Sin Lan, Chen Li, Juliana. I too hope I can have that friend as well. Shaun and someone else. Hopefully the dude's name also Shaun, great name and what a pair we would be. SS! or maybe S-squared!

So yeah, going to Glo tomorrow. It's a rather sad thing that I'll see Marcus, Jeremy, and Livia for the last time tomorrow if the bus leaves for Taiping after church service. Jeremy and Livia will be going back to New Zealand on 1st February while Marcus will be on 3rd. I'll be away from Malacca for a month. It was fun to have them here again. Marcus being crazier, Jeremy has left his trademark 'Bapak lu!' and gone for a new accent where 'yes' sounds like 'yeast' and 'what' like 'whot' while Livia is talking more often than when she left which is really good!

So that's it. Keeping my fingers crossed at what is ahead. Hopefully I'll be able to find my way there.