G.I.Joe: Retaliation

Secret War Journal[30 March 2013][Spoiler Alert]

Before we watch the movie, we decided to spice this movie outing up a bit. Meeting up at City Square Mall, we had lunch at the Kopitiam housed in there.

After purchasing the tickets, we adjourned for some awesome ice-cream at Anderson. Unknown to the organiser, we had prepared something for him. Ending up in this restaurant was a ploy to our next phase of our plan. Not long after we settled down on our seats, a waitress arrived at our table, with an Anderson's Classics.

Happy Birthday, Johnston!

And the rest was savoured. ;)

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Settlers of Anderson
While waiting time to pass, we started to play some board games.

Let the games begins!

Who shall emerge victor?

The Birthday Boy wins!

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Retaliation

A sequel to the movie G.I.Joe: Rise of Cobra, I found the subtitle 'Rise of Cobra' more apt for this film instead. In this movie, we see the Cobra commander's rise to power with the aid of Zartan, the master of disguise. As we know, Zartan captured the president and impersonated him during the events of the previous film.

This prior knowledge did spoil a bit of the viewing pleasure from me. I felt that the execution of the plot would be better served with a plot twist revealing Zartan.

Nevertheless, it was a good move to wipe out most of the characters in the beginning. This gives the director the ability to focus on the more important characters. It helps to make this movie looks less clogged with too many characters.

Lastly, I am not a G.I.Joe fanatic. Thus, I am not really sure why was Cobra's second-in-command left out and not saved? I might had left something out. Hmm...

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Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant

After the movie, Darian left.

As we had talked for some time, we came to this Restaurant for dinner. There, we met up with Keller.

This restaurant provides Tim Sum delicacy at an affordable price. Some of the must-try dishes include Shanghai Xiao Long Bao, Fried Golden Doufu (I ordered seconds for this! ^^), Plain Noodle and Onion La Mian, Siew Mai (took me some time to realise there are prawns inside. :O)

For those who had yet to try out this restaurant, I strongly recommend you to try it out! I guarantee that you would not regret it. :) 

Getting there:

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"Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body." - Marcus Tullius Cicero

On Wings of Love

Secret War Journal[]

King of Battle

Secret War Journal[18 February - 6 March 2013][Long Post][Picture-Heavy]
Artillery is a vocation renowned as the King of the Battlefield. This can be seen in warfare where artillery shells decimate troops from afar. In addition to obliterating the enemy's morale, it also impedes their advancement.

As some of you had been informed, I went overseas during the month of February to March. Better known to the civilian world of Singapore as Exercise Battleking, it is the rite of passage for most artillery commanders to experience live firing.

Artillery Live Firing is certainly an experience that most Singaporeans would not be able to experience in their National Service. Thus, I should be honoured to be given the opportunity to not just participate in a live firing exercise but also be at the forefront of the firing guns. Subject to how one sees it, it was held at Thailand. During this period of time, the region is in summer season - hot, dry. With temperatures capable of reaching 42°C, it is the direct opposite of Exercise Thunderwarrior.

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Prelude, Lord of War
"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime." - Ernest Hemingway 

To allow for a smoother experience and conduct of the exercise, the command team scheduled for a simulated dry run locally, designed to refresh everyone's memory and familiarise with one another.

I found this to be useful. It provides us, weapon specialists, the opportunity to know the officer cadets that would be under our care during the exercise.

In addition to that, we were promptly briefed on our flight details and luggage submission. Once done, we are set to depart!

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Ariel, Lord of Sky
A shoutout to Johnston: Thanks for taking time to send me off at the Airport despite the late flight timing! Really appreciated! :)

Man, I was actually expecting myself to be flying off to the Land of the Thousand Smiles via Singapore Airlines before the briefing. Imagine my disappointment when I heard we are going to take Thai Airways to Thailand. Do not get me wrong, Thai Airways is not bad but I just thought it was a little bit strange that Singapore soldiers are using foreign airlines for exercises. (Or is it? ;) Economic sense yes but what about National Pride?

Needless to say, I had a great time on the plane thought it was kind of annoying when they woke us up in the middle of the flight for a meal. Most of us were trying to catch some sleep as the flight was in the wee hours of morning.

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Grinding Machine
Been asked to leave the plane because it has landed in Thailand was a painful experience for me. Firstly, it was a rude awakening. (Bear in mind that I was lacking sleep.) Secondly, I am not exactly fond of Thailand. Thus, at that moment, the plane was the last place that felt like I was still in Singapore. Childish, yeah. Still, I dragged myself out because it would not serve any purpose to make a scene at the airport.

Departing from the airport, we started a long bus ride to our temporary military camp during our stay in Thailand. Being a temporary military camp, one cannot expect living conditions as great as the ones in Singapore. The ventilation in the camp there is not great but it is bearable. At least I have a decent toilet (Hahas!). Boy, the feeling when you dread going back your main camp.

Going for the open shower was an awkward experience for me. Being the conservative me, I was not really looking forward to the shower. However, once I steeled myself and went for it, I realised it was not half bad. Given a pail and a scoop, I made my way to the common bath area. Like a scene from Japan, but without the scenery (XD), one will shower in the open, not cubicles. Surprisingly, after trying out their 'open shower' concept on my first night, I got this feeling that the living conditions here are better than my own camp (which is, of course, kinda weird, considering the better amenities at Singapore). Ouch, somehow that hurts more.

Aside from the showers, the cookhouse is pretty DIY style. You would wash your own plates, cutlery and cups after consuming your meals. A good practice but honestly, a hassle. I remembered the first time I headed for lunch and took a metal plate out of the rack, only to come into contact with a couple of spiders complete with spider webs. I was truly shocked and I just stood there after returning the plate where I found it (no way I am going to use that plate...) until some kind soul who finished his lunch passed me his clean plate. (Thank you, oh my god)

I wonder if it is still lying there or had it been cleaned by someone. Hmm...

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Labyrinth of War
"We have been travelling through a cloud. The sky has been dark ever since the war began." - Black Kettle

After a couple of slow days, the war games officially begun. I cannot into much details but I would say this much. My experience out there in the wilderness was dominated by cuts and injuries. Heck, I emerged out from it with a lips infection. (Believe me, I find it hard to accept the fact that such things could actually occur. Nevertheless, many people were amused. Hahas)

The exercise was an eye-opener for me. While the tempo of this training exercise is lower compared to an active unit, timing is still essential. I found myself being pressured by the superiors to be ready by the stipulated timing. Such is the pressure during warfare as time is critical.

There were a lot of memorable moments during the exercise. There was one moment I broke contact with the vehicle in front of me because it was driving faster than mine. I got lost as a result. It was really a funny but humiliating moment for me and the driver as we, with the help of an officer, navigate to the correct spot.  (Hallelujah for maps and navigation training.)

One of the sugar cane trucks spotted during our movement around Thailand. :)

Anyone interested in hiking here? XD

It was also a great experience, spending time with the cadets (they are now officers, I presume. Hahas) If I am not wrong, this exercise allowed me to interact with all the officer cadets since I enlisted. During the exercise, they shared their experience of their training thus far. Officer cadets really must go through a lot more than us specialists huh?

Speaking of live firing experience, the opportunity to pull the trigger for the big guns is definitely not one to miss out on and I, of course, took it. After firing the gun once myself, I realised that almost no recoil could be felt at that seat. As strange as it may sound, I would rather it had some recoil. That way, at least you can feel as though you are actually shooting something. That said, the counter recoil mechanism for this machine is superb! (Evidently)
[That said, I became in charge of teaching the recoil mechanism to the next generation. LOL.]

After nine days of deprived sleep, Exercise BattleKing came to a close. I was quite amazed myself. (Previously, with this amount of sleep each night, I was wasted by the fifth day.)

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King's Retreat
"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light." - Albert Schweitzer

Past the military matters, we celebrated the end of our overseas exercise with an End-of-Frame Dinner. I am not exactly sure why it was named so but I paid around ten singapore dollars for it. T.T
Paying this amount for dinner in Thailand means a lot and I would say I had expected more out of it. My dinner that night was a dinner that tasted like it was from the canteen based there. (Which was average?) in an air-conditioned room with loud music being played. (Maybe I paid more for this...)
I would admit that the songs were entertaining (amusing) initially, along with the singers and dancers, but it became quite annoying (pardon me) after a few songs.
In the end, I ponder if the money spent was justified. 

After the End-of-Frame Dinner, we adjourned to the canteen. Being the light drinker me, I decided to abstain from beer while the majority went to drink. Getting my daily dose of orange juice, my friends and I headed back. (Mm, that sounded pathetic. XD)
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With that, the recreational phase begins!
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Death Railway & Hellfire Pass (Day 1)

Hellfire Pass is a memorial museum on the Death Railway

Did not know there were bamboo in Thailand. Oops.

Are you kidding me?!

Tracks of the Death Railway

Bridge

Look at our eyebags. Oh god. Hahas!

Chill Baby, chill

Team Specialist!

View from the top. Woah! There are no fences stopping you from falling!

Waterfall? Where did this come from?

Guess no one followed the instructions.

Not sure if what train is this.

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Zoo (Day 1)

My lunch

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Snake Zoo (Day 2)

Looks great but the spoons and forks were dirty. :O

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Floating Market (Day 2)

Try their Mango sticky rice!

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Future Park Rangsit (Day 2)
Our final destination. However, due to an unexpected tire fault on one of the buses, we reached the shopping mall late. As a result, we had only around 15 minutes to explore (which is not a lot since it is one of the biggest mall in Asia)

I am sorry that I do not have photos for this place, was rushing around like crazy. Hahas!

Our final meal in Thailand before we departed for Singapore was KFC, surprisingly. Hahas!

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Home sweet home! I had a lot of fun during my time at Thailand. It was a little like 'Work hard, play hard' kind of thing. Still, I would say once is enough, going again would kill the fun since the places I go, the things I experience would be largely the same.

This concludes my adventure in Thailand, hope you guys enjoyed it! :)

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"Only the dead have seen the end of the war." - George Santayana

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Credits: thycursed (Pictures on ExBattleKing), BoQing (Pictures during R&R)

Nightcore Series

Secret War Journal[March 2013]

Persona by EML

Secret War Journal[9 March 2013]
Do not be deceived by the name. It is actually a concert.

Comprised of mainly electronic music, it was a performance performed by Electronic Music Lab, a club in NUS. Johnston is a member of the club and he would be performing on some of the songs in the concert. Together with Qi Xiang, Marcus and Meldon, we went down to the school's cultural centre dance studio to support Johnston. Below is a audio recording of the concert. Enjoy! :)
(Note: It is a bit soft, so you might need to turn up the volume. :O)

The Stage

I must admit, that not everyone would be able to appreciate such genre of music. Personally, I enjoyed the song that Johnston performed in (51:40). It is similar to trailer instrumental music. I like such styles, it makes you feel alive. It energies you. :)

From Left: Leroy, Qi Xiang, Meldon, Marcus, Johnston

Humanmetrics Jung Typology Test™

Secret War Journal[1 March 2013][Long Post]
It has been a long time since I took this personality test and I was told to re-take it after a period of time as humans change. :)

Take the Quiz here!

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-->Personality Type Explained<--

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Here are my results! (And I am proud to say my personality is still largely unchanged. :)
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INTJ

Introvert(56%) iNtuitive(75%) Thinking(50%) Judging(56%)

You have moderate preference of Introversion over Extraversion (56%)
You have distinctive preference of Intuition over Sensing (75%)
You have moderate preference of Thinking over Feeling (50%)
You have moderate preference of Judging over Perceiving (56%)

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Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
by Marina Margaret Heiss

Profile: INTJ
Revision: 3.1
Date of Revision: 17 Oct 2009

To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of "definiteness", of self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific rather than a general nature; its source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most INTJs start building at an early age. When it comes to their own areas of expertise -- and INTJs can have several -- they will be able to tell you almost immediately whether or not they can help you, and if so, how. INTJs know what they know, and perhaps still more importantly, they know what they don't know.

INTJs are perfectionists, with a seemingly endless capacity for improving upon anything that takes their interest. What prevents them from becoming chronically bogged down in this pursuit of perfection is the pragmatism so characteristic of the type: INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind, freeing the INTJ from the constraints of authority, convention, or sentiment for its own sake.

INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types, perhaps in part because they possess the unusual trait combination of imagination and reliability. Whatever system an INTJ happens to be working on is for them the equivalent of a moral cause to an INFJ; both perfectionism and disregard for authority may come into play, as INTJs can be unsparing of both themselves and the others on the project. Anyone considered to be "slacking," including superiors, will lose their respect -- and will generally be made aware of this; INTJs have also been known to take it upon themselves to implement critical decisions without consulting their supervisors or co-workers. On the other hand, they do tend to be scrupulous and even-handed about recognizing the individual contributions that have gone into a project, and have a gift for seizing opportunities which others might not even notice.

In the broadest terms, what INTJs "do" tends to be what they "know". Typical INTJ career choices are in the sciences and engineering, but they can be found wherever a combination of intellect and incisiveness are required (e.g., law, some areas of academia). INTJs can rise to management positions when they are willing to invest time in marketing their abilities as well as enhancing them, and (whether for the sake of ambition or the desire for privacy) many also find it useful to learn to simulate some degree of surface conformism in order to mask their inherent unconventionality.

Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel. While they are capable of caring deeply for others (usually a select few), and are willing to spend a great deal of time and effort on a relationship, the knowledge and self-confidence that make them so successful in other areas can suddenly abandon or mislead them in interpersonal situations.

This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals; for instance, they tend to have little patience and less understanding of such things as small talk and flirtation (which most types consider half the fun of a relationship). To complicate matters, INTJs are usually extremely private people, and can often be naturally impassive as well, which makes them easy to misread and misunderstand. Perhaps the most fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense. :-) This sometimes results in a peculiar naivete', paralleling that of many Fs -- only instead of expecting inexhaustible affection and empathy from a romantic relationship, the INTJ will expect inexhaustible reasonability and directness.

Probably the strongest INTJ assets in the interpersonal area are their intuitive abilities and their willingness to "work at" a relationship. Although as Ts they do not always have the kind of natural empathy that many Fs do, the Intuitive function can often act as a good substitute by synthesizing the probable meanings behind such things as tone of voice, turn of phrase, and facial expression. This ability can then be honed and directed by consistent, repeated efforts to understand and support those they care about, and those relationships which ultimately do become established with an INTJ tend to be characterized by their robustness, stability, and good communications.

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Functional Analysis
by Joe Butt

Introverted iNtuition
INTJs are idea people. Anything is possible; everything is negotiable. Whatever the outer circumstances, INTJs are ever perceiving inner pattern-forms and using real-world materials to operationalize them. Others may see what is and wonder why; INTJs see what might be and say "Why not?!" Paradoxes, antinomies, and other contradictory phenomena aptly express these intuitors' amusement at those whom they feel may be taking a particular view of reality too seriously. INTJs enjoy developing unique solutions to complex problems.
Extraverted Thinking
Thinking in this auxiliary role is a workhorse. Closure is the payoff for efforts expended. Evaluation begs diagnosis; product drives process. As they come to light, Thinking tends, protects, affirms and directs iNtuition's offspring, fully equipping them for fulfilling and useful lives. A faithful pedagogue, Thinking argues not so much on its own behalf, but in defense of its charges. And through this process these impressionable ideas take on the likeness of their master.
Introverted Feeling
Feeling has a modest inner room, two doors down from the Most Imminent iNtuition. It doesn't get out much, but lends its influence on behalf of causes which are Good and Worthy and Humane. We may catch a glimpse of it in the unspoken attitude of good will, or the gracious smile or nod. Some question the existence of Feeling in this type, yet its unseen balance to Thinking is a cardinal dimension in the full measure of the INTJ's soul.
Extraverted Sensing
Sensing serves with a good will, or not at all. As other inferior functions, it has only a rudimentary awareness of context, amount or degree. Thus INTJs sweat the details or, at times, omit them. "I've made up my mind, don't confuse me with the facts" could well have been said by an INTJ on a mission. Sensing's extraverted attitude is evident in this type's bent to savor sensations rather than to merely categorize them. Indiscretions of indulgence are likely an expression of the unconscious vengeance of the inferior.

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Famous INTJs:

Susan B. Anthony
Lance Armstrong
Arthur Ashe, tennis champion
Augustus Caesar (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus)
Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)
Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers)
William J. Bennett, "drug czar"
William F. Buckley, Jr.
Raymond Burr (Perry Mason, Ironsides)
Chevy Chase (Cornelius Crane) (Fletch)
Katie Couric
Phil Donahue
Michael Dukakis, governor of Mass., 1988 U.S. Dem. pres. candidate
Richard Gere (Pretty Woman)
Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor
Greg Gumbel, television sportscaster
Hannibal, Carthaginian military leader
Emily Bronte, author of Wuthering Heights
Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote)
Orel Leonard Hershiser, IV
Peter Jennings
Charles Everett Koop
Ivan Lendl
C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)
Joan Lunden
Edwin Moses, U.S. olympian (hurdles)
Martina Navratilova
Michelle Obama
General Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State
Charles Rangel, US Representative, D-N.Y.
Pernell Roberts (Bonanza)
Donald Rumsfeld, former US Secretary of Defense
Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
Josephine Tey (Elizabeth Mackintosh), mystery writer (Brat Farrar)

U.S. Presidents:

Chester A. Arthur
Calvin Coolidge
Thomas Jefferson
John F. Kennedy
James K. Polk
Woodrow Wilson

Fictional:

Cassius (Julius Caesar)
Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)
Gandalf the Grey (J. R. R. Tolkein's Middle Earth books)
Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs)
Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes' nemesis
Horatio Hornblower
Ensign Ro (Star Trek--the Next Generation)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (Hamlet)
George Smiley, John le Carre's master spy
Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs)

Copyright © 2012 by Marina Margaret Heiss and Joe Butt

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"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." - Lao Tzu

Irony

Secret War Journal[February 2012]
Don’t be so kind to me.
What face should I make?
With the words that have piled up I can’t see
Your face from the side.

Where is it? I can’t find the key I lost.
Sigh…I’m so tired of acting so stubborn when we disagree.

It’s just a little too far for my hand to reach.
I wonder if I truly want to grasp that shadow of yours.

Don’t be so kind to me.
Look, we’ll hurt each other again.
With the lies that have piled up I’m unable to move anymore.
Don’t look at me with those eyes.
What face should I make?
I’m completely lost, but someday
Maybe I’ll be able to smile.

It feels like I’ve spent so many days with you
But still, the words we exchanged were too few.

The distance between you and me is getting just a little closer
I can’t really catch you – even though there’s just a little left to go!

Don’t be so kind to me.
Look, we’ll hurt each other again.
With the lies that have piled up, I can’t hear your words.
Hiding my true voice,
I hum this melody.
I’ll entrust my body
To my slowly changing heart.

I don’t even know myself,
Even though I feel like I want to know about you.
I somewhat hold back these conflicting feelings
And feel my way through these invisible walls

Don’t be so kind to me.
Look, we’ll hurt each other again.
The lies that have piled up are just painful, right?
I want to go see you immediately
But I can't find my words
On at least the final page,
I want to show you my smile!

Mental Defect

Secret War Journal[]

With each passing day, I feel a greater sense of overwhelming sorrow.
I probably could explain the cause, but I cannot express it in words.
My appetite has fallen, my joy running dry.
Colours turning grey, visions darkening.

What I grief, I grief for naught.
What I desire, I desire in vain.
What I gain, I gain nought.
What I see, I see nix.

Motivations runs dry, only to be filled again.

So much is missing.
SO much is obscured.
So much is lost.
One ponders on the meaning of his life.

Your existence is a sin.

Zero Dark Thirty

Secret War Journal[26 January 2012][Spoiler Alert]
Chinese New Year is round the corner! Most of my friends have already bought their Chinese New Year clothes but I had not finished my shopping yet. Thus, today we are gathered to get some last minute shopping. Hahas.

With me as advisers are Marcus, Keller, Qi Xiang, and Meldon to accompany me. Originally, I planned to head to Bugis to get a pair of pants for Chinese New Year. I had thought of buying a light brown pants for a very long time, since last year. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, we ended up in Ion Orchard. As I had thought about it for so long, I purchased a pair of Chino pants after trying it out immediately. Meanwhile, Marcus and Keller attempted to find clothes to buy too.

When we were finally done, we had lunch at Pepperlunch while Meldon ate out at Subway since he is vegetarian. Keller had to go after lunch for Reunion dinner. Thus, the rest of us went to play LAN without him.

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Discrepancy

After two hours of gaming, it is time for a movie! Marcus wanted to watch Zero Six Thirty so here we are, heading into the theatre with 2 large drinks and a small-looking popcorn. Without realising we were actually late, causing us to miss out the introduction of the movie. As it turns out, it is actually quite important because the omission of the very beginning took me some time to understand when the movie actually started in.
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Review
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At this point, I feel that I should include the synopsis of the movie or else I am afraid some people who get lost here. :P
Synopsis
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for Al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011.

Maya is a CIA operative whose first experience is in the interrogation of prisoners following the Al Qaeda attacks against the U.S. on the 11th September 2001. She is a reluctant participant in extreme duress applied to the detainees, but believes that the truth may only be obtained through such tactics. For several years, she is single-minded in her pursuit of leads to uncover the whereabouts of Al Qaeda's leader, Osama Bin Laden. Finally, in 2011, it appears that her work will pay off, and a U.S. Navy SEAL team is sent to kill or capture Bin Laden. But only Maya is confident Bin Laden is where she says he is.

- Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1790885/

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Perhaps the first thought that would come to mind when the movie finishes would be that the movie was a bit too long. Designed to be slow-paced movie to allow the audience to ponder and reflect through the process of finding Osama bin Laden to his imminent death, the lengthy film has a tendency to tire out the audience as they strain their brains for a good 157 minutes. Not very gentle for the causal moviegoers, I would say.

One of the highlights of the earlier parts of the movie would be the treatment of the confinees. Captured terrorists were held in black sites. There, they were 'tortured' and brutally interrogated. Treatments include depriving them of food and beverage, physical punishment and water torture. Tactics such as occasionally being nice to get information were also used to obtain intelligence on the extremist movements. These continued to be used in the war effort against terrorists until President Obama put an end to it due to the public uproar over it.

While it is a serious breach on human rights, let us pause for a moment and ask ourselves: Why did the Intelligence Branches have to resort to such inhumane acts? I am not supporting nor sanctioning such acts but they do have a point, which Kathryn emphasize quite brilliantly. Without the threats that they can issue to the confinees, how are they going to 'persuade' them to leak vital information that would help to prevent terrorist attacks, hence saving countless lives in the process? The principle "kill one to save many" is a cruel mandate but if one is given a choice to kill one to save many or kill many to save one, I believe the answer by most would be the former.

Meanwhile, the movie then goes on with their struggles with obtaining information without the conventional means. As terrorist attacks grow rampant, it became a race against time for the operatives to obtain useful leads to guard against future attacks. On the other hand, Maya, the main lead in the movie, with the help of her aide got hold of a terrorist who seems to be willing to sell the terrorist network out for money. On the promise of information about the elusive network, they decided to meet face to face in a camp supposedly named Camp Chapman. When the convoy comes into the camera view and a sad music plays in the background, you already know full well that the outcome is not going to be pretty. In the end, the informant turns out to be a suicide bomber (no surprise, is there?), killing Maya's aide and a task force with him.

That was a setback that almost broke Maya. However, she instead decided to turn it into a force of hatred, driving her to find the heart of the network and hunt him down, Osama. Not much progress was made until one fateful day, they found the real identity of Osama's most trusted courier. Seeking him finally led them to the whereabouts of Osama and the rest, as they say, was history.

New Year Meet-up

Secret War Journal[12 January 2013]
A new year! Always a good reason to meet up with everyone again. :) Today it is time to do some catching up with 10S101 clique after not meeting them for so long! It has been what, a year since we last met? LOL

Coming today are Debbie, Laura, Lai Yin, and Pei Shi. It was a meet-up that almost took ages to materialise. I guess it was mostly my fault due to the fact that I did not have whatsapp? That did slow down the process on confirming on a date. Compounded by the fact that my work schedule was a big question mark then, not much decision-making could be made then. Things were finally decided when my schedule for January was finalised. Thud, today is the day we decided on.

Apart from me, the rest of them are attending university. It made me feel that I am under-performing at first because everyone else seems to be learning something immediately useful to their future career. I feel so useless since I could have signed up for some class during the weekends. Hmm, on that note, I am currently thinking of taking up driving.
Come to think of it, each of us are pursuing a different degree. Debbie - Business; Laura - Law; Lai Yin - Mathematics; Pei Shi - Psychology. Myself? I am set to pursue a double degree of business and computing. Guess at least I am also pursuing a business degree as Debbie but I am taking a double degree. :(
Most of them are smarter than me but I am the only one gunning for a double degree. At times, I have second thoughts of my compatibility with my chosen course. Hmm...

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Pasta De Waraku

Without sidetracking further, we met up at GongCha first in Central. (I was not late! Yes!) Earlier that day, Debbie wanted to meet up at Outram Park first. No reason were given then but Pei Shi guessed that Debbie needed to buy something first. I could not give an accurate guess on what Debbie wanted to buy because all I know about Outram Park are a hospital and a park. As it turns out, Debbie forgot that there is a MRT station in Clarke Quay! Hahas! That could be quite embarrassing! Fortunately, that was rectified before we actually met at Outram Park or else it would be really funny then. :p

From my memory of my past visits to Central, I recalled having difficulty choosing what to eat. Today, we had quite a bit of a dilemma on which restaurant/stall to dine in. (Deja vu?) After walking around the whole shopping mall, I realised there were many more places to eat than I previously thought. Heck, I did not even know that there were so many Japanese cuisine restaurants here! Fortunately, we narrowed our choices down to non-fast food and no Korean, which helped to allow us to decide our lunch. In the end, we found ourselves seated in Pasta De Waraku, a sort of fusion cuisine I would say, of French and Japanese. All the while, they were trying to get me to treat them for lunch. (I was actually prepared to treat them, within my budget, of course. It felt like a deja vu moment where I treated them to lunch. Hmm, maybe that happened in an alternate dimension.) Anyway, they felt bad so I did not treat them. LOL?

I cannot vividly recall what each of us ordered but Laura ordered a oyster clam soup pasta, lai yin another soup pasta, Pei Shi cream pasta, Debbie seafood pasta? while I ordered Ham & Egg pasta. For myself, I find the pasta a tad too salty. However, the serving is decent (not enough for me but enough or normal people.)

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Long Walk
After our meal, we loitered around the mall, trying to decide on something to do. (We only planned to find a place to eat and catch-up, but it was a bit bad to stay in a restaurant when we all but finished our food. LOL!) Along the way, we had this crazy idea to walk to Suntec City Mall and off we went!

Walking out of the shopping mall, only to realise that the weather is kind of harsh today. Yet, we pressed on. It is quite a journey actually, being my first time walking from Clarke Quay to City Hall. I had a lot of fun coming with crazy theories about NUS Faculties with Laura.

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Mall of Old
Reaching Suntec at last, we were shocked by the amount of renovation works it is undergoing through. Ever since Carrefour left Suntec City Mall, , Giant and Cold Storage has taken residence in it. Some way or another, other places are also experiencing change. The entrance which I normally took to enter the mall is now going through revamp, causing it to be sealed. Even before entering the mall, I felt as though I do no know this Mall anymore; It feels so foreign now. Thankfully, the interior still resemble the old mall I knew. We stopped by Oldtown White Coffee since I was feeling hungry.

I was not exactly sure why but our food took quite some time to arrive. Lai Yin's came first but our food still did not arrive when she finished it. I could understand why the half-boiled eggs would take some time but toast? In any case, as there was a long delay before my food actually arrived, I could eat my toasts as dinner. (Not very healthy to eat just two toasts with kaya spread for dinner but I just lost the appetite to eat dinner after consuming them.)

Shortly after, we headed home.

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Her Iron Throat
Somehow, we should thank Pei Shi for making this gathering possible. Did you know? Pei Shi actually had a pretty bad sore throat today but still she came. She should be resting at home instead but I guess it is hard to get us to meet up so she decided to come at risk of worsening her condition. That made me feel a bit bad.

Tells you something huh? As we all advance to the next stage in entering the working society, it would only get so much harder to meet up. I can only hope I do not lose anything when I enter the working world.

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I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. "Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun." - Charles R. Swindoll

Kokoro Connect

Secret War Journal[7 January 2013][Spoiler Alert]
I seldom talk about anime because Randomc.net does a very good job writing about them. However, I believe that Kokoro Connect deserves a special mention because of its characters.

With the last 4 episodes airing marathon this month, the anime had officially concluded. In a way, it is a pity that it ended though I have to agree that the anime should end this way instead of dragging it. Otherwise, the effect that allows it to be so impactful would be lost. What captivates me to really watch it is the way how the characters relate to me.

I feel so cold

Take inaba. Her initial personality before revealing her feelings for Tachi reminded greatly of myself. She was a character who actually keeps many things to herself. She keeps her fears to herself and is a little bit cynical about life. From her first impressions, one would actually think she is a dark character. This stems from her ideology that there is no one else to rely on but herself. On occasions, I cannot say that is wrong but being an one-man army sergeant can only bring one so far. It was no surprise when Inaba broke under the pressure of heartseed. Given the unpredictable phenomenon of Heartseed's intervention, it is hard to hide your thoughts from others. In normal circumstances, Inaba would had been able to pull if out and live her life as before because no one would probably find out about her secrets.

Iori and Inaba

Towards the last 4 episodes, it was her best friend Iori that relate to me the most. Midway through the anime, we discovered that her cheerful personality was just a false front and she told her then boyfriend Tachi that she was afraid of how people would judge her when they see the true side of her. During the final arc of the story, Heartseed caused thoughts of a random one of the five to be known to others. This initiated a breakdown of Iori as her actions and thoughts are not in sync. When others heard her actual thoughts, they were shocked, and when Iori heard the thoughts of others judging her through the act of Heartseed, she realised that she can no longer keep up the false front. Forsaking her cheerful self, thinking it is only a idealistic impression of herself, she progressively became a cold person. Similarly to Inaba, she would had been able to keep up the facade if not for Heartseed's intervention. However, in case you are wondering, in the end, all is well with Iori accepting that she should not try to live up to other's expectations but live life as how she wants it. :)

Iori's case does prompt one to wonder. How many of us are actually not being honest with others when we socialise? It is unlikely that there would be some supernatural phenomenon which would cause our darkest secrets to be revealed but is continuing on this track detrimental to our mental well-being?

Something to ponder on huh?
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Finally, Aoki and Yui. Probably the most smooth-sailing happy ending in there? Hahas. Granted, the couple also had some hurdles, especially getting Yui to like Aoki! It was not originally that difficult since I suspect Yui already has some feeling for Aoki. However, relevations! Yui actually turns out to be suffering from androphobia! No wonder she always hang out with girls only.

With that said, the couple ultimately benefited (as do others, though it is not apparent immediately) from the deeds of Heartseed. With the end of the second arc, Yui decided to stand up and fight her androphobia. By the end of the anime, Yui explicitly hinted that she took a liking to Aoki. (A good sign, in my opinion!)

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I must say, even in the end, I was rooting for Iori x Tachi but I guess by the final arc, when Iori broke down so badly, it is quite impossible. This is especially so when Tachi realised he never really knew Iori. When you realise that, it is quite hard to get a relationship going when Iori hinted a break-up too. Not that bad, they were really dating to start with, with Iori keep asking Tachi if he can see her real self or only the personalty that Iori is showing to everyone. (which we found out later that Tachi cannot, he thought he could though.)

Inaba x Tachi

I guess, in the end a Inaba x Tachi ending would be more appropriate. I wonder what hidden message the scriptwriters are trying to relay here. Everyone has secrets? :P

Do not understand what I mean? Watch the anime! Hahas!

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Credits: Randomc.net