Compromise

So yeah. I've lost count of the number of people asking me why I got banned from Judo, so I guess an explanation is in order.

Shortly after the gathering I told my parents that I had to go to Judo the next day. It was 12 in the morning, I was cranky and in severe need of sleep (apart from gaying Daniel up I had gone to the state gym and was aching in places where boys do not want to ache) and I wasn't very diplomatic. I yelled down the stairs: "Oi tomorrow I need to go Judo aa!"

Now you may not know my parents, so let me introduce you to them. My parents are as Malaysian as they come - they are Chinese, they are old enough to be cynical of Bolehland, and they are very, very exam oriented. I had warned them earlier that this coming sem exams wasn't going to be anything nice to look at, and, yes, dear son would study over the hols. They latched on to that - "How the hell are you going to study if you go Judo!? NO MORE!" and after 10 minutes of yelling up and down the stairs I slammed the door and made two calls and went to sleep.

That was the end of the conversation. Ultimatum. No turning back. Shuddap and study.

I had known for ages, though, that I'd have to stop Judo in the middle of the academic year ... the only question was when. This question was now answered, and the most I could get from them was one last day at training, to settle all the outstanding Judo stuff I had yet to do.

I told Sensei shortly after changing into my gi. We sat down by the windows, the rest of the state team warming up, and I explained to him what had happened the night before. He kept quiet as I talked, looking away from me in that thoughtful manner of his, and he turned back only to reply.

"It's a pity, really." he said, squinting in the sunlight, "You're doing quite well."

The rest of the training session I could feel his gaze like a solid thing, watching as I tried a new variation of Osotogari I had worked out in my head the week before; watching as I did moving uchikomi; watching as I did free throws. I guess I represented to him all that was screwed up with our education system - an athlete shows promise, then the exam oriented society steps in and smashes any chance that athlete has of doing well. But that's life, isn't it? You take the chips you get and you move on. Swallow and look ahead. Stand tall.

At the start of 2008 I told myself that I wanted 3 things. One of those things was to represent Sarawak in Judo.

I did, one month ago, for the Nationals.

And I suppose that's enough. I mean, I've done loads for one year - I've set up what Ravin started, that Thomian debate club; I've trained a new generation of debaters; I've redesigned and rebooted The Square; I've dealt with enough teacher politics to last anyone a lifetime. One outing for Sarawak in 2008 is wonderful stuff - God I thank you - and I'm not going to complain.

So maybe it is for the best. Maybe when I'm done and finished with 2008 I'll look back and say: "Yes, it was all worth it." It'll be something to look forward to, but it'll be for later. Now I've got to get myself together and start studying my ass off.

Till that day.

Fatigue

This boy went to gym. This boy ate pizza hut. This boy tried to make sure everyone had fun at the UGS gathering. This boy cleaned up. This boy had a shouting match with his parents, and is now forbidden to go Judo for the rest of 2008. This boy slept at 12.30. This boy woke up at 7.30 and went to Judo at 9. This boy went running with the state team. This boy ate salad chicken rice under the dojo. This boy helped out with the 3 o'clock open class. This boy learnt the kata for his brown belt.

This boy is very, very tired.

11 hours of Judo is never a good idea. Thank God the gathering went well.



Note: 3rd guy I threw was Christian, that debater dude from Chung Hwa. 4th guy was Chong. 5th guy (who threw me) was Aaron. My coach yelled 'ATTACK!' at precisely the wrong moment. Bang.

Snakes

The lower six came in on Monday. MUET exams were over on Sat, so our MUET periods were suddenly chat fests on nothing in particular. Free time. Then our MUET teacher started lamenting the lack of people this year: "You guys were born in the year of the Snake right? And that means this year's lower six is the year of the Horse ..." She scrunched her face up, as if Horses were inferior creatures.

"Snakes are handsome and cunning." I cut in, for no particular reason.

"Yes!" said Teck Chaw. "Like Cedric!"

I grinned at him, but then he continued:

"Only you are small snake, and I am big Cobra!"

*

Exams are on, and I'm half dead trying to motivate myself to study. It's not easy, considering how much there is to cover and how little time there is to do it. I smuggled the laptop into my room one day and spent the whole day browsing blooks for the sake of 'research'. Not a particularly good idea.

On the other hand things in Upper Six are looking brighter. I'm no longer going for Sukma, after choosing the STPM over State obligation. Nationals were tough enough. There were times when we were pushed to our limits, and we weren't allowed to stop for fear of being called a loser. We ran, we pushed weights, we threw. Tiredness was never a good excuse for Sensei. I'll still be going for training over the holidays, but that would be helping the state team out in the run up to the competitions.

Debate is over. Square is finished. And for the first time this year I can stay in class and pay full attention.

Wonderful times ahead.

I Heart The Time Traveler's Wife

1984 (Clare is 12, Henry is 36)

After an interval of tickling and trashing around we lie on the ground with our hands clasped across our middles and Clare asks, "Is your wife a time traveler too?"

"Nope. Thank God."

"Why 'thank God'? I think that would be fun. You could go places together."

"One time traveler per family is more than enough. It's dangerous, Clare."

"Does she ever worry about you?"

"Yes," I say softly. "She does." I wonder what Clare is doing now, in 1999. Maybe she's still asleep. Maybe she won't know I'm gone.

"Do you love her?"

"Very much." I whisper. We lie silently side by side, watching the swaying trees, the birds, the sky. I hear a muffled sniffling noise and glancing at Clare I am astonished to see that tears are streaming across her face toward her ears. I sit up and lean over her. "What's wrong, Clare?" She just shakes her head back and forth and presses her lips together. I smooth her hair, and pull her into a sitting position, wrap my arms around her. She's a child, and then again she isn't. "What's wrong?"

It comes out so quietly that I have to ask her to repeat it: "It's just that I thought maybe you were married to me."

Note: Yes, The Time Traveler's Wife is a novel. Nadia recommended it to me about two years ago, but I ignored her advice ("There's a lot of sex in it!"), until a lack of books in Penang's Popular forced me to purchase a copy. I love it. It is one of the most intelligent, heart-rending love stories I have ever read. I have since learnt my lesson: when Nadia recommends a book, BUY IT. Immediately.

Here are some more stills from the movie, slated for release later this year.