UGS 2nd Anniversary Gathering Photolog

It Hurts

Sensei put us through a really tough regiment today. I'm exhausted, and slightly unnerved at what I've seen.

I'm trying to compose my ... impressions of this glimpse into proper Japanese training. Sensei starts us off with the normal warmups, but then ups the pace, speed, and adds in a furious nagekomi session in the end where each of us gets thrown (or throws) 1 throw every five seconds.

And my stamina sucks. I don't think it's the Secret Recipe cakes anymore. Here's a question: does weight training affect stamina?

I'm starting to suspect it does. And what does this mean? Do I want to sacrifice my speed, suppleness and flexibility for strength? I used to rely on clean technique, not brute force to take my opponent down ... do I want to make this transition?

What are your thoughts on this?

Muscle Fatigue

All my main muscle groups are aching. And still are. I'm worried.

5 throws on Saturday and I had difficulty breathing. Is this a fitness problem? Stress? I can usually take 50 or so throws in one session - 80 when Siak Peng was training Horng Eng's haraigoshi. What is wrong with me?!

I suspect it's got something to do with not attending training for 3 weeks ... and this:

I'm using Joshua as a model to protect innocent blog readers
from the sight of me demolishing a cake.

To your health Josh ... and mine.

I Shout You Cower

ANGELINE ONG!

I have UPDATED my blog! Are you HAPPY NOW?!

Sorry, couldn't resist ... (she's so going to kill me in school). A word about the drama: I promise a post within this week; and I thank Gabrielle and Aldrin for covering the event. On my feelings, I feel like this:


And now I feel like this:


[Shoutout ends here]

On another note a friend wrote up an encyclopedia a list to let other people understand her various whims and fancies. Allow me to do the steorotypical male version:

When I say I'm confused, I'm confused
When I say yes, I mean yes
When I say I hate you I mean I hate you
When I say No, I mean No
When I say I'm bored I mean no football.
I NEVER say I'm moody.
When I say I love you, I really do.
When I say you smile is sweet, it means off to the bed
When I say you's good-looking, give me a tight slap
I never say LOL
When I say I'm freezing, I mean I'm freezing.
When I say good luck, I mean good luck
When I say I like you, I mean I like you.
When I say it's not important, I mean it's not important (why keep bloody asking?).
When I say dunno how, don't tell me.
When I say I'm in love, I'm probably mad.
When I say I wanna buy new stuff, I mean I wanna buy new stuff.
When I say I'm crying, I'm gay.
When I say you rock, I mean you rock.
When I say my results suck, I mean my results suck.
When I say I'm stupid, don't say anything (or risk getting your brains blown out).
When I say something stupid, carry on talking.
when I say I miss you, I probably did.
When I say dude, I think you're one of the guys.
When I say dun feel like doing it, it means I want a beer.
when I say I want to see you, it means I want to see you in the bedroom.
When I say ish, I mean ish.
I never say whatever.
When I say you're sombong, I mean you're sombong.
When I say I want to see cute guys, punch me.
When I say I hate that nickname, I mean I hate that nickname.
When I say go die larh, I mean go die larh.
When I say F***, I can mean many things.
I never say muaks
When I say I'm tired, I mean I'm tired.
When I'm quiet, it doesn't mean anything (so stop asking).
When I say it's a secret, I mean it's a secret
When I say I hate my home, I mean I hate my home
When I say I'm innocent, *flash smile*
When I say that guy is cute, I AM SO GAY
When I got nothing to say, I mean I've got nothing to say.
When I give you advise, buy me a beer
When I say I love Nicholas Teo, kill me.
When I say she is not pretty, I mean **** *** *** ****** she's not pretty.
When I say OMG, I mean OMG
When I say I hate badminton, check to see if it's World Cup season
When I say hello, I mean hello.
When I stare at you, slap me.
Why would I say I'm lesbian?
When I say, means this it is the end of this post.

SFEC Youth Camp

A lot of churches these days go on and on about God's Love, and then proceed to blot out all other aspects - His wrath, The Law (which while of diminished importance is still relevant in this day and age), the worlds' hate of Him. The SFEC Youth Camp this year had 'Amazing Love' as the camp theme.

Imagine my scepticism.

Alright, alright, so God's love is the core of Christianity, and I admit I take it for granted at times. But it has been overhyped, has it not?


The trip to Lundu was a swimming pool on an August day - a break from St Thomas's and straddled with people of varying levels of insanity (Christians). Some slept, others played games, I went through my drama script with my iPod blaring Maroon5NicholasTeoBlocParty.

Sugar Daddy snoring.

Two things of note when we arrived:

1. The welcoming commitee consisted of one (non-human) hospitality officer, and he was a camwhore.



2. And ... my phone had no signal.

Eric was camp commander; Elaine, Joanna, Daphne for worship; Max with food ... I was games.


The icebreaker was stilted. I've only worked with kids before, so there was this learning curve involved for games with the teens. We headed to the beach to play Dodgeball.

We ended up very wet.

Out of the sea - pitter patter off the beach, with sandy toes and smelly feet. And a jump into the swimming pool, which turned inky black within seconds.

The pool was very disappointing. I could dive and swim its entire length without resurfacing, which goes to show you how big my lungs are (or how small the pool is). And it was shallow. Water up to my chest - no chance of anyone drowning. It must've been a big let down for Ik Sung ("- only I can save you people")

The session at night was slightly marred by my running nose. Mac started off the session with a WHAT, asking us what do you think Love is?


The answers were scattered all over the logical spectrum:

"Love is blind." - You all BUTA people, you!

"Love is a metaphysical connection between two or more people, or between self and soul, or between objects and people, or -" - this was me joking with Paul. Because we're debate geeks like that.

"Love is patient, love is kind, love is ..." - You'll find the King James Version of the Bible doesn't use the word Love - but more on that later.

"Eww ... mushy stuff!"

Then, - Mac being Mac - we got hit by a bus:

Is love God or is God love?

The cogs in my brain froze for a few minutes. What the heck?!

"God is love. Love is God is wrong, but the statement can be correct if you add an of between is and God."

So much for starters. Mac told us how he handles relationships within his youth (as opposed to the youth falling in love with teens from opposite the road). Josh is a leader there, wonder how he fares up ... *strokes chin* Anyway, here's how he does it:

Mac sits down with each of the couples and asks them questions: Where do you see this relationship going in the next 5 years? You interested in the Chicken ke, or the Chase? He's had parents call him up to break couples up, because they're unhappy with their kid's significant other. And the very first thing he wants to know is if the relationship is fueled by sexual undertones. A slide from his presentation:

True Love is ...

• not sexual in nature
• it is a decision
• it longs to see the betterment of the other person, and
  
• it is Christian character

Imagine absorbing that when you're half dead and blowing your innards out through your nose.

Ugh.

*

The second day was cloudy. Steel skies and cold rain. No games for the rest of the camp (Thank God!), and this meant we had more time to concentrate on the sessions.

On the beach. Paul was behind me, staring at the waves.

And what mind blowing sessions they were!

My notes on the 2nd session (WHY) were sparce - I think I was mulling over what he was talking about too much. But this is what I got in my notepad:

Romans 5:1-5 (glory in afflictions)
Young love -> fast burning fire; explosion
Old love -> candle (?) cup overflowing <- prefer this one Friendship as a foundation for a relationship

We took a break, and practised for the youth presentations later that night.



Third session: How.

If the other sessions so far were a hit to the head, this one was probably with brains blown out. Mac opened with what he calls the Closet Christian:

We are in danger of looking inwards too much we forget are to carry a message to the world.

Oh dear. Oh dear, dear, dear. Mathew 5:13-16: We are to be seen and not merely heard. How many Christians are treating their religion like yoga or self empowerment? "Come join my church! The feeding there is good! And we have line dancers! Free lunch! Rich businessmen who network with Christian values!"

A question he threw at us: If Jesus walked into your church right now, what would he ask?

"I am back?" Someone suggested.

Mac shook his head - "I think he would have asked: 'Where are the sinners?'"

If your church does not have the sinful and the leftovers, the dregs and the castaways of society, then your church has failed. Your church is a comfortable cocoon of Christians who live in their little world of wanting to grow closer to God, who are no longer light in the darkness, salt of the world. Your church is a conglomeration of people who want to find God's love for themselves.

Your church is a Closet.

We were silent.

*

We slept late, played Ping Pang Wah, visited bedrooms like open houses (I liked bouncing on the girl's beds - you could always find a chocolate bar or a pink teddy or a Nicholas Teo/Wu Zun infested phone amongst the blankets), and other crazy stuff.

But it was those quiet sessions, those late night chats and prayers with Max, Paul, and Elaine ... those sessions with nothing but us and the night sky and God that is imprinted in my memory. I pulled them aside the first night to pray for the Worship team - we had encountered a few hiccups here and there. And we were reminded that no matter how beautifully we sing, how great our chord progression is, how cool our musical arrangements were, it is the Dude upstairs that matters.

I have a tendency to forget that.



What a great way to be reminded.

I'll be blogging soon

Too many things to write up on. Just in case I slip up, hold me accountable to recollections on the following topics:

• The 2nd UGS anniversary
• The SFEC Youth Camp
• Weaknesses: My Need To Be The Centre Of Attention
• The Thomian play which I was dragged into, last minute, as main character

No time to blog now, nevermind that I've piles of photos in my camera. I've Math homework to complete, and every night starting now I've to be at school to act. Life is busy, busy, busy, and I can't be happier.