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Been feeling pretty shitty since yesterday. Maybe it was Harry Potter. I was looking quite forward to it. Once again, like all the previous movies, I was quite disappointed. It’s just not how I imagined it would be. I guess nothing beats the book. There were too many scenes cut out. Unsatisfied.

Well. Now the last blockbuster of the summer is gone. I’ve got no movie to look forward to anymore T_T But it was a good summer lah. It started with Spiderman 3, rolled on with Pirates 3 and Transformers before concluding with Harry Potty. It was a good wait. And well worth it.

Actually there’s a movie called Hot Fuzz that’s caught my eye. Some british parody of police films.

Yeah lor. Felt quite sian cos nothing to look forward to… And also cos I’ve been having some knee problems. Which means I can’t exercise when I want to. I get damn uncomfortable when I don’t exercise… Like too much energy causing a nuclear meltdown… Haha. I will feel damn sian and lazy. So contradictory.

There’s a match this sunday. Uncertain whether I will be fit enough. Ha. First time a weird knee hasn’t recovered in 3 days. And I still can’t bend my toe. Damn.

On the soccer front, I’ve been playing defensive midfielder for Chao Xing’s team. I enjoy all the physical battles. The pushing, shoving, shoulder charging. The thrashing talking. The mind games. The dirty little tricks. I love it when the opponent falls for my mind games. I’d say something to make them see red. Haha. That’s when they start losing it and their play gets progressively worse. Then they’d start fouling people. That’s the best part. Because there’s a ref so they don’t get away with it. And we have some pretty good dead ball guys in the team. I think it’s pretty cool to kena push to the ground then just brush yourself off and walk away when the other guy is still itching for a fight. My dad always comments when we watch soccer that only the pro players can take a foul and walk away like a professional. I find some truth in it. Only losers will react. I have reacted a lot of times in the past. It’s time for me to stop being a loser and concentrate on the football.

These are exciting times. I must say, I was pretty apprehensive about going to Arts Camp. I just wasn’t in the mood to socialise and stuff. But like all things you aren’t comfortable with, you’ve just got to throw yourself into the deep end and naturally you’ll learn. It took me about halfway through the camp for me to start thawing. Then I didn’t want it to end. But end it did. I was pretty upset about that. Regretted not thawing out earlier. Then again, you can’t have too much of a good thing either.

I made lots of new friends during arts camp. With lots of varied interests. But the cool thing is that for every person I talk to, there is a loose fragment inside me that can somehow connect with that person. This is in contrast to my upper sec class and jc class, where I often felt out of place. Disconnected. I must say the feeling rocks! Haha.

So right now I’m catching up on the few years of social life that I’ve been missing. The feeling is like EL again. I can feel myself warping back from the brooding anti-hero to someone oddly familiar. All the ice is melting away. Frozen in suspended animation for years, Megatron is back!

Anyway, I will be quitting my job on Sat. I think it was less than 1 month? Haha. But no matter. I’ve learnt all that I set out to learn when I took on the job. Yeah, even though the pay is miserly because of the restricted hours I got, that’s not important compared to the experience I’ve gained. I never would have imagined myself to be a salesman. But of course I took the job because I wanted to become more outgoing. And it worked. I got what I wanted.

I’ve just finished my 3rd day at my new job! In fact you can’t exactly say it’s new because to do so would imply that I had an old job, which isn’t applicable because this is my very first job ever in my entire life!

And it’s damn fun! I love it! Even though it’s quite tiring. Heh.

It’s at Sentosa, in the retail outlets. I have to say, Sentosa is so different now. All I can say is wow. I didn’t know they hired a CEO from Disney. That’s like freaking awesome!

Anyway, enough raving already. So far the highlights for the past 2 working days:

• Getting to talk to this really pretty television presenter from China. They were in Singapore to film a show for a local Shenyang channel. She wanted to do a 1 for 1 exchange for some jewel box so the cashier asked me to follow her be witness. Managed to talk to her for a few minutes. Pure bliss!
• Riduan with his 101 ways to slack on the job. Haha. I kept saying he’d do well in army.
• Showing an australian couple how to play traditional games such as five stones and pickup sticks. They were quite interested but they couldn’t bring wood products back to Aussie. So wasted!
• Buskering - carrying a basket of goods around to sell.

• Screwing up my first transaction because I was too kanchiong. They wanted to buy 2 fans ($2.30 each) and 2 plush toys ($7.90 each) and I couldn’t add it up. Even the customer also got the sum already then I was still being blur. The funny thing was, my colleague came to help me and got confused also. Haha. In the end he whipped out his phone and used the calculator there.
• Flirting with the ice cream girl. Cos she said she was "lonely" =p
• Selling the ultimate make money product - light wands ($4.80). Wave it and four colours appear!
• Targeting the kids. "Mammee I want to buy…"
• Getting swarmed by kids 15 mins before the show.
• There was this family bringing out 4 kids. The parents didn’t want to buy at first even though the kids were like damn fascinated with the light wand, almost snatching it. But they were going to take photo so the parents gathered them back. In a moment of brilliance, I offered to lend them my samples so they could hold it for the photo. When I tried to take them back the children just pestered the parents somemore and they finally relented! Muahahaha. That was damn satisfying lah. Haha.

3 days only and I’ve noticed such a big change in my personality. I no longer stutter when I talk and conversation just seems to come so naturally to me now. And now I’m much more daring… Especially when it comes to talking to strangers. I’m finally leveling up on the personal development front again after months of stagnation. SWEET.

On another note, I’ve started playing WoW again! It’s really something I look forward to after work. Keeps me motivated. Gosh am I attempting to justify yet another game addiction? Screw it!

Played Counter-strike with the guys at Clementi last night. As usual, it was such a blast! I can’t remember having so much fun in ages! Even though the game is old, the graphics are shoddy, and we really stick out compared to the rest of the ah bengs and kids there playing Dota, I haven’t gotten such a kick out of a game for a long time. We were making all the noise admist all the people. I think the other people there play until they have no feeling already. Haha. On the other hand for us it was damn exciting! It really feels great to play beside Detty and Marvin on the same team because we used to play CS together during those Sec 2 days when it was at the height of its popularity. The way we moved out was really like a team. And when I just said "Flashbang" suddenly, they just knew I was going to throw one and not that one was coming towards us. Anyone else would have been thinking "what flashbang? WTF!". Haha. Feels like the good old days again.

Went for another job interview yesterday and this time I got the job! It’s a shop assistant job at Sentosa! Sentosa is damn happening nowadays. When I went there yesterday I was surprised by the renovation. The place now really looks like a world class tourist attraction. And I didn’t know the new monorail goes straight into Vivocity! Fantastic. Very impressive. Anyway I guess I will be spending the rest of my holidays selling stuff to hot Japanese tourists. With kids. Yay.

I think basically I can call this a soccer blog already lah. Keep talking about nothing but soccer. But anyway, here’s the full time report for today’s game.

Like James said, it was almost a "perfect game". We won 4-2 in a convincing fashion, but we really should have kept a clean sheet.

During the first half we smothered all their attacks. Our attacking play wasn’t that fantastic, but we got progressively better as the game wore on. Ryan scored a goal for us to really settle the team down. Defensively, Javin was surprisingly good playing in an unfamiliar right back position. He didn’t let anyone dribble past him.

Detong was the biggest revelation of the game. He controlled the ball well, spread the play well and even showed lots of tenacity for the tackle. He was the perfect foil for James. They were like Carrick and Scholes, going against the trend to have a more defensive minded midfielder protecting a more attacking minded midfielder.

In the second half their defence broke down and the goals started flooding in. Ryan got his hat-trick after following in on my long range effort which the keeper couldn’t hold on to.

We were 4-0 up by that time, and firing from all cylinders, so I started to get too carried away. That was seriously a lack of tactical discipline which I regret. Otherwise we would have kept a clean sheet. Hm… Seeing the midfielders stroking the ball around was just great! Finally we were playing like a decent team. We were passing around so well and I wanted too much to be a part of the play. So I kept going up and left quite a big hole in the defence. Haha. In the end they managed to claw back 2 goals. One from a defensive mix-up and one from a free kick. The free kick was really good because everyone was expecting a cross. It was exactly like what Ronadinho did to David Seaman. Haha.

I realised it was quite a bastard thing to do… To neglect my defensive duties. Not fair to Eugene and the defenders. Hm… I will learn this lesson.

Anyway, I just love to play in a team that can pass the ball around. The feeling is orgasmic. Haha. I wish the feeling could last forever…

Once again, while washing my boots, I couldn’t help but keep thinking:
THIS IS TRUE LOVE

These past two days have been like heaven. I was quite looking forward to this weekend because I had two field matches lined up.

The first match was on Sat with Marvin’s friends who needed an extra pair of legs. I relished the opportunity to play striker for them. Although it was not exactly a very efficient display from me, there were some occasional flashes of brilliance. Such as the one where I stopped a high ball dead with my control and made enough room to send my strike partner through for a one-on-one with the keeper. Too bad he was too kanchiong and missed it. It was just fun to be striker for one day. In the end I chalked up 1 goal and 1 assist. It should have been more but I was too selfless when I should have been more selfish. I think I play too much Winning Eleven. In the game I always like to score the perfect goal ie Arsenal style pass into the net. Kept trying to create a tap in for my teammates when I should have just taken the shot.

Anyway during the second half it started raining. It was yet another new experience for me! Playing in the rain really sucks. I didn’t expect the water to get into my eyes so easily. It was like diving underwater in the swimming pool and opening your eyes. It’s lucky I didn’t get any eye infection. It was a thunderstorm. I was a bit concerned that someone would get struck by lightning but the referee waved for play to continue, which was curiously bizarre. The pitch was totally flooded. You’d kick the ball and it would get stuck in the water. It really was an unique experience but one that totally SUCKED! I was quite disgusted and subbed myself off. Haha. My team later managed to score in the confusion to make it a 5-4 win. How the guy scored remains a subject of bewilderment to me.

Today’s match. Well well. What can I say? So many points to talk about! It was such an eventful match that definitely lived up to expectation. Just before the match I observed that Ser Hwee’s team was at full strength. Their defence was quite scary because they had some players whom I admired greatly, such as Tia and Mervyn the legendary SAJC leftback. Haha.

After our warm up, James gathered us into a circle and delivered the game plan. Then he started naming the starters. There was such an air of excitement and expectancy! As promised, I would get to play striker for one half.

The first half didn’t really go well for us in terms of tactical advantage. We were pushed back deep inside our own half and had to soak ups loads of pressure. I totally regretted playing as striker because I hardly got a whiff of the ball. Even when I had the ball they closed me down so fast I hardly had time to react. Haha. Oh well. You can say I was a spectator for most of the half and faded into obscurity. Detong later commented that I “looked lost”.

The defence was bravely repelling all the attacks but in the end it was too much for them I guess. Too many corners were conceded and they lost their nerves. We let in two gay goals that just trickled behind the line. It makes me wonder now what difference I would have made if I had started at centre back to guide the inexperienced duo of Wenxuan and Detong. I guess it’s a moot point now.

During half time all the guys looked so downcast. Everyone was so downcast. You can just feel the aura and the body language. Most of them looked like they were in shock. I tried to cheer everyone up but I guess I don’t have that many jokes up my sleeve. Haha.

As promised to James, I switched back to centre back during the second half. But not without complaints first lah! Haha. What can I say? Immediately, I felt so at home. This was MY TERRITORY! It gave me so much confidence and I immediately settled in doing the normal stuff I do - organising my defence, shouting encouragement and, well, generally making a lot of noise. Suffice to say I made my presence felt! Lol.

To my great satisfaction, I won every header I went for. It was a very rewarding feeling for me because while playing in China I constantly mis-timed the header. It really is about confidence. The backline looked solid and more confident. The whole atmosphere of the match just changed for the better I guess. It became us who were applying the pressure and keeping them in their own half. We James and co split their defence on a number of occassions and we had some decent chances but failed to make them pay. That would later cost us dearly.

The floodgates suddenly opened for them. They scored two or three goals in quick succession. We were stunned. I thought I had been doing a good job of motivating everyone but on that occasion I couldn’t even begin to find any words of encouragement.

But all in all I think it was a good experience for everyone to play with such good opponents. I’m proud that even though we were trailing a few goals, no one ever gave up. Everyone was still chasing for every ball. It shows that even though we were tired or don’t have the technique, we have the attitude. That’s what made it enjoyable even though we lost. Can you imagine if no one wanted to contest for the ball because they were tired?

I’m sure there was a lot we learnt as individuals and as a team. I, for example, should just stick to playing centre back where my influence is the greatest. Haha.

Took a bus up the mountain called Owakudani.

Owakudani is the area around a crater created in the last eruption of Mount Hakone 3000 years ago. Sulfurous fumes, hot springs and hot rivers can be experienced on a walk around the area. Eggs, boiled in the naturally hot waters, are said to prolong one’s life by seven years and are readily available for sale.

Met some chiobus on the bus. Joyce managed to do a secret snapshot while pretending to take Dennis and Javin. We all wanted to take pictures with them after we got off the bus but we didn’t have the guts to ask so we dilly-dallied until they disappeared. We then agreed to ask them when we see them at the top of the mountain. But we never saw them again… =( I prefered the one in the centre while Dennis and Javin liked the one on the right. Too bad she’s covered by the seat =p

The mountain is actually a vulcano famous for the black eggs which they cook in the sulphur. Eating one egg is believed to extend your life by seven years. Eating two eggs has the reverse effect. Well, I ate one the other time I came Japan. And I ate around 2-3 eggs this time ’round. So does that make me a potential 100 year old? Haha.

After the mountain, we went down to Lake Arachi to take the pirate ship. YARRRRGH!

It was so windy that we couldn’t take it after a while and had to go below deck.

We got off at the far bank to take a look around.

So after that we went to check out from the hotel and headed back to Tokyo!

On our way back from Hakone it was still early evening so Joyce took us to this Shimokitazawa Street. It’s something like Bugis Street. Clothes and such but we didn’t buy anything except Peiqi’s (Joyce’s roommate) birthday cake because we were planning a little surprise celebration for her =)

Actually we wanted to light the candles then switch off the lights and say got blackout then ask her come in. But we cocked up cos the laptop was still switching off then suddenly got the windows switching off chime. =s We were too dumb and she was too smart to be surprised. Haha. Oh well.