Photos~~ Council campfire & KS kidnap!

Council campfire 2008!

It's our 3rd time attending this as a senior! Super duper "old"! Guess it should be the last time we are going for it. HehX2... This year is the 31st Council Campfire alrd.

We went through 27th Council Camp itself.
We planned and executed 28th Council Camp.
We attended 29th Council Campfire as a senior 1st time.
We attended 30th Council Campfire as a senior 2nd time.
We attended 31st Council Campfire as a senior 3rd time.

WowX3~~ Cnt really deny we are getting on our age~~ Haha...
No doubt of our "age", we are still as fun as before! We still pose with 2 and 7 to represent 27th SC!=) *Sweet!*

We even managed to form the word "Council" despite the lacking alphabets=D *Customized!*
KS Kidnap Photo Update!
Presenting the MASTERMIND and the coordinators! *NDK & me!*

Sequence of events after the kidnap!
*Spin, drive, tease, reveil, celebrate, chit chat, eat, drink, laugh!*
The Tiger force and girls force! AndX3 the HUGE Lego set and card!
The girls, the guys and the random chit-chat session!=D I really love these photos in particular!=)
*Thanks Daryl for taking all these photos!*

Happie 21st Serene!=D

Hope you enjoyed this Jap dinner with 27th!=) Oh! AndX3 the Taiwan trip fund that Kuek initiated!=D Hope it will be of great use to you! Oh yah the photo collage book is really amazing! Lots of efforts put in by Shi Zhen and Kuek!=) *clapsX3!* Those photos are really so memorable! Keep it well!=D

Bday celebrations are really great and meaningful I would say! Esp when we are so overwhelmed by our studies, projects and exams, each celebrations serve as a great way to take a break and enjoy the time with our closed friends!=) Though being 21st is as normal as being at any stage of our life, 21st bday is definitely a great way to meet up friends through gatherings!=) Really look forward to more bday celebrations and perhaps surprises!=D

I have fun and laughters!=)

Oh! Finally I have been allocated my internship! It's with MOE to investigate the feasibility of introducing roof top gardens in new and existing school buildings. *Muahahahaha... Sound so much like my Research Methods project's TQAO!* Should be like doing project on a full-time basis.

Decided to attend Meditation Retreat 2008 [21st-28th may]www.nusbs.org.sg/meditationretreat08 and Pursuit of Happiness - Camp Ehi Passiko 2008 [23rd-26th july]. *Sort of can make it for both after confirming my internship duration=)* Interested can look out for details on IVLE student events!

Read this from this website http://www.silvaultramindsystem.com/.

Meditation is fast gaining recognition worldwide.

According to CBS news on Aug 27 2003 "More and more doctors recommend it. It's supposed to help depression, control pain, increase longevity, slow down cancers, invigorate the immune system, and significantly reduce blood pressure.

Time Magazine even devoted an entire issue to Meditation on Aug 4 2003 and credited it as a solutions to range of illnesses from skin conditions, stress, and chronic heart disease to AIDs and infertility. It even reported that "meditation can sometimes be used to replace Viagra."

Pre-exams "Preparations"!=D

Tai Tais' Lunch!
Thurs 10th April
After M&E lect before Cost Estimating tutorial

Finally have some time for our makan session!

For this entire sem, it has been packed with tons of project meetings! So the 4 of us always meet up for "arguments" (constructive and professional one of course!) over our projects! We really miss our makan sessions where we went around NUS to eat niceX2 food other than those in Techno Edge=)

Maybe it's because we have been discussing so much about projects that we spent quite some time to decide where and what to do. Vivo? Cafe? Restaurant? Foodcourt? Duck rice?

FinallyX3 we board the bus and let fate decide. If someone rings the bell at the stop, we would eat duck rice. Otherwise, we would go Vivo and decide again.

In the end, we decided to eat duck rice and we pressed the bell ourselves. Muahahahaha...

Super affordable and super delicious! *YumX3!*

Here's our "How-to" manual for savouring duck rice!=)
Step 1 Carol, Step 2 Wei Juan, Step 3 Fei Fei, Step 4 me!=)

After that, we went for our Tai Tai "shopping spree" at ummmm... Cold Storage! Just to digest our food before we moved on to our desserts!

Desserts at West End, where Fei Fei works=)

Simply indulging!=) Super pampering for us!=) *Satisfied!*



As Carol said, it is really nice and relaxing to just eat and chit-chat about anything under the sun, even trival matters that concern us=) Leaving behind our studies and projects for the time being. Quality time spent!=)


PSD! (PFM Semesterly Dinner)
Fri 11th April
After Measurements lect (after 6 hours of lect straight!)

Wonder who gave this name! Sounds kind of official! But it's nice! Hopefully this culture can continues till we graduate!

12 PFM girls and 1 PFM guy = PFM gang who always sits at the right side of LT
Location was set at Rail Mall, as recommended by Hui Fang. Then we decided to try Hooked! A fishX2 eating place! *HealthyX3!*

I ate Chicken Plus Salad AND Fish Pie!

Salad was the usual. Fish Pie was super duper rich! It contains salmon belly, snapper belly, sliced hard boiled egg embedded with mashed potato. *YumX3!*

Shared Chocolate Impossible with Joyce and Hui Fang! It came at the time when we were playing "I have never" and the forfeit was to drink a mouthful of water. We were super bloated while we tried to savour the ice cream.


The game was fun! Got to know more about each other. I felt most guilty when I said "I have never play Bridge before" and "I have never joined uniform-group CCA before."=S *Hope no one takes it to heart. I drank around 2 full cups of water still. Fun and enriching!=)
Cant wait for our next PSD!=)

Long awaited day with KS!
Sun 13th April
Marina Sq and Suntec

Reading material for the day: CLEO and only CLEO! *NO notes!*

Main purpose is for me to unwind after a week's of hard work *although I already have 2 pre-exams events within this week=P* and also for him to buy his new hp as his own bday gift.
Sadly, cant get his hp today as my mum has to be around to sign a new mobile line with Starhub. Next week k?

Finally got him try Pasta de Waraku after I eaten there for my primary school gathering.

His: Pork Cutley Curry, Some chocolate drink, Chocolate Ice Cake
Mine: Mozzarella Cheese Spaghetti, Tiramisu+vanilla ice cream+banana+strawberries+cornflakes+coco crunch


*Funny shots of him! Muahahahaha*

My spaghetti really comes with chunks of melted cheese! *YumX3!*
His curry was nice too! Very big portion of pork cutley too!

My dessert is super nice and worth the price! Just nice make up for the relatively smaller portion of my spaghetti. =D

His ice cake was reallyX2 yummy too! Really like cake. I like! Not too icy!

Bought manyX2 things! Shoes, Za True White Day Protector, Canmake Colour Stick *for my dark circles which I expect to get even darker*, hp pouch *finallyX2 after many weeks of choosing* and a super duper cute pouch for my external hard disk. Muahahahaha...

Saw a bag on 60% off. Super love it! *Though KS has different thoughts for it=P* Didnt get to buy it though as I could not make up my mind.

It's really great to pamper myself with treats like these=) Really glad that I am (just slightly)more financially independent. Hope it rids a portion of load from him hehX2..


Thanks for pei-ing me to help me unwind! I uds you are working from mon to sat and you just went for qing ming jie early in the morning. *AppreciateX3 veryX3 much!=D*

Alright! Next week is much relaxed as most lects have ended. Free up more time for preparing for our exams and also projects. =)

As what our cost estimating lecturer assoc prof florence ling mentioned, taking the middle path is very important. This is exactly what the buddha teaches us to do! Yes, she said "middle path". Surprised me as I seldom hear this term elsewhere except when Im in Buddhist Society.
Taking the middle path simply means being in balance. Avoid being too extreme. Dont study too hard. Dont play too hard too. A mix of both is the way to go. That's middle path. =)

The Buddha calls it the Middle Way between extremes. Quoting from "All about Buddhism", it states that extremism is an attitude characterised by the belief that only one way is right, by intolerance of all alternatives and by inflexibility.

Hence, we should practice this path with moderation, flexibility and a willingness to consider other points of view. In every aspect of life and practice, the Buddhist should be one who strikes a happy medium.

Let's remember to study hard and enjoy as hard too!=) Life's definitely more than just studying.=)

My personal surprise for KS=)

"HappieX2 21st!" =D

Surprised him with a 2nd round of presents specially for him from me=) *HehX3~ Thought the Lego set was his only 21st present!*

Had Mac hotcakes breakfast=) Then it's presents time!

My sister bought him a voodoo doll as a lucky charm=)

Then I bought him a hip hoppy smiley face with a cool cap & nike wristband=D

*Errr... cn I request to get back that super nice precious moment bag? HehX2=P*

Finally, there's something that is huggable for you=) I personally love the cap also!=)

*The pac man that KS created*

Special thanks to my sister for accompanying me to shop at Marina Square on Sat=) I really need someone to be around so that I can keep talking about the choices, prices etc. I just cnt shop alone! Treated her to Swensens! Hope you enjoyed it! *Esp the mango ice cream that I dont like!=P*
Thanks Daryl for driving my sister home and then giving me a ride to NY for our campfire=)

*Carried super alot of bags! Like Im a shopping queen hehX3=P Too bad those things aren't for me!*

The kidnap-KS forces!=)

Pre-kidnap

Location: NYJC canteen

Time: After Council campfire

Protocol:

• Ngern briefing us on the details of the operations.
• Allocating manpower to the 2 forces, Tiger and girls forces.
• Writing bday wishes for KS.
• Daryl drove us to my house to get the cake and for me to get my dad's car.
• Waited, rested and finalization of plans.

Kidnap!

Time: 12am

Date: 6th April 2007, Sun

Location: KS's house

Force: Tiger Force comprising of Ngern (the masterX2 mind), Daryl (the photographer cum driver), Kenn (the sleepy accomplice) and Hui Xiang (the stomachache guider for KS).

Protocol Part 1:

• Set off from my house at 11.45pm.
• Sing happy bday song outside KS house at 12am.
• Get into his house.
• Blindfold him, tie up his hands and legs.
• Bring him downstairs.
• Spin him around for 10 rounds.
• Throw him into the back of daryl's car.
• Drive to 7 eleven to stock up on alcohol and soft drinks.
• Meet up with the girls at Bishan Park.

Force: Girls force comprising of Serene, Kuek, Shi Wen & Me (the driver cum coordinator with the Tiger Force).

Protocol Part 1:

• Set off from my house.
• Drive to Shi Wen's house to get an additional car (so that we can have 3 cars to drive all "kidnappers" & accomplices home).
• Arrive at designated car park at Bishan Park.
• Wait for the arrival of Tiger Force.
• Chit chat chit chat chit chat~~ (The guys took quite some time to kidnap KS and "shop" for their drinks)

Finally, all of us met up again outside our cars to discuss the next step, while poor KS stayed inside alone, having no idea what was going to happen to him next.

NDK (Ngern, Daryl & Koksiang)=) *Ngern & Daryl the main coordinators*

Protocol Part 2:

• Girls went to prepare cake and hide the huge Lego set at the playground.
• Guys led the blindfolded KS to the park and kept "torturing" with him. *Thanks ar Ngern! You were laughing so evil-ly throughout the entire operation. Still paste the super popular poster on KS=S Be careful of your karma when your 21st comes hehX3~~*
• Girls hid, KS untied his blindfold and the guys initiated the singing of bday song.
• The girls then joined in from bhind KS, hehX3 surpriseX3!=D
• Alright, then finally the normal bday celebration proceeded with cake cutting, chit-chatting, laming=)
• Final surprise: Search for his bday present in the playground=) *YippieX3 he loves the Lego set!*
• Home sweet home! Sent Ngern & KS home=) *First time sending people home except for KS=)*

ThanksXinifinity to all Tiger force and girls force for staying back after NY Council campfire to execute this wonderful bday surprise for KS=D And also being so generous in chipping in for the present. I really appreciate it veryX3 much!=) KS is reallyX2 touched too!

Not forgetting other councillors who also chipped in to get him the super duper huge police station Lego set=) KS has always wanted that since he was young. I really could not have bought it myself. ThanksX3 for fulfilling his and my dream=) Thanks to Sumitro, Shane, Jon Lim, Alyssa, Amanda and Cai Wen! Thanks Ms Chiew for recording a video for him too!=)

Anyway, something random! Tday ad hoc who were present! Look how much we have changed, of course for the better! Yippie! So glad that Pinky (Jon Lim) & the Brain (Shane) went! Of course, Daryl who never fails to turn up for most of council gatherings.

*Taken on our graduation day in NY*

*Waiting for more exciting photos from Daryl!*=D

It's All in the Mind.

Went for my 2nd Dharma Circle this sem, enriching=) *Seen some more light=P*

A few lessons learnt about the mind...

With understanding comes love=)
Hence if we can drop all perceptions about other people, be open-minded, and not let unpleasant first impressions or assumptions affect our compassion for our friends and family. It's like putting ourselves into other people's shoes and try to understand their real intentions.

Mind is the start of everything=)
Our thoughts determine our actions which in turn determine the consequences and impacts on others around us. Hence it is really important to purify our mind to ensure that our actions are positive.

Emotions cloud our mind=)
With so many emotions arising as a result of what's happening around us, it is challenging that we dont get attached to these emotions. Just acknowledge them that they are arising within us, watch it slowly fade away. Most importantly, we should not react to these emotions, otherwise we will be a slave of our mind.

Precepts are our living guide.
Initially when I just started learning about Buddhism, the 5 precepts seems to be such a "chim" concept! But it's basically boils down to a "standard" for guiding our lives. *Somehow similar to our Codes of Practices=P* How do we know what we are doing are right or wrong?

It's actually simple, we just have to make sure that what we do does not cause harm to others or ourselves, then we are on the right track. Nothing really complex about it actually. *TingX3!*

Anyway for those who are interested:
The 5 Precepts are commitments to abstain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication.

Mindfulness is the key to the right way of living.
So we need to be aware of our thoughts and intentions before we can determine whether our following actions are right. This requires mindfulness - simply being aware of our thoughts. Sometimes we do thing without realizing, such as habits, this is where we become unaware of our behaviours.

Being mindful allows us to have that ability to check on ourselves and reflect on our behaviours. With so many things happening around us all the time, it can be difficult. Hence, meditation is a form of training our mind to be more focus and mindful of the present moments, instead of being constantly distracted by external environment.

Cindy highlighted an important point with regards to meditation. Practising Buddhism does not necessary means that one has to meditate everyday. The concious efforts to be mindful throughout our daily life are already acts of practising Buddhism.

Just to clarify:

Practising Buddhism is not worshipping the Buddha statue. It is learning the teachings of the Buddha, otherwise known as Dharma. These teachings arise as a result of him being enlightened. Being a Buddhist is basically practising the Dharma and living it.

Letting go

It does not mean not to care about what has happened. I think that what Buddha is trying to teach us is that we should not dwell with the past, but more importantly what can be done now. Forget about "What I could have done?", instead focus on "What can I do now to deal with this?"=) Focus on the changeable and let go of the un changeable facts.

Alright! Glad that I attended this Dharma Circle=) Hope to attend the rest of them as they are on dealing with the issue on mind=) *InterestingX2!*=D

Live in the present!