Un-Elijah-ed

Like I've said, there would be a lot of "LAST" entries and this is just another one of them.
Please bear with me people.

I finally stepped down from my role as a Cell Group Leader (CGL) last Thursday.
After a year long of leading a band of brothers and sisters in Christ, it was time for me to dismember this group of people, a cell group called ELIJAH
(Which btw, would be my son's name if I were to have any sons lar. I'm publicly owning that name now before anyone else... Hehe...)
It has been a privilege for me to take up this leadership role and I must say, it was a little hard letting it go.
I don't mean the role of CGL but the people.

Having gone through a whole year together, friendship has grown into that of a greater relationship.
What's more significant is the fact that people grew and it was obvious to many.
As a leader, it doesn't get any better than to see your konco-konco grow.
Being the last CG meeting as ELIJAH-ans (& it being my last CG meeting as an undergrad), I wanted it to be meaningful for both myself and my members.
And so, Kian Mei and I prepared beforehand what our meeting should be like.

The first part of the meeting was of course worship. Twas a very short one.
Then we moved on with sharing.
Our sharing consisted of two parts; Our experience being in Elijah and a word of encouragement.

Kian Mei, my assistant cell group leader, sharing.
Thanks Kian Mei for everything!
Especially for all those reminders... Keke...
I have a gold fish memory man.

Everyone took turns to share.
After which, we gave them each a memento/challenge card.
A card consisting of a photos of themselves, a CG photo, a bible verse and a challenge for them even as they move on from Elijah.


We then asked them to swap cards around and write a short message at the back of the card.

Last but not least, we had a symbolic moment. Ceeeeh...
Can't help it, I'm a Literature student... Gotta apply what I learn in class. ;)

Kian Mei and I thought that it'd be good for us to challenge them to move on from Elijah and that it was time to seek a new fellowship.
And thus, we took our CG flag and asked them to cut a piece of their signature to officiate that they are now, as I put it to them, UN-Elijah-ed.


This is my piece of the flag.
It's really hard leaving these people and the bond that we have.
But it's been a fulfilling one year with them.

Thanks guys.
Elijah rocks! ("Elijah" as in my CG, not my future son)

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When frustration sets in...

This is the current update on my floorball team...
We've played 5 out of 6 games so far and sad to say, we've been losing every match.
We are definitely the "underdawgs" of our division but that doesn't mean we are a bad team.
I truly think we can be a good team if given the proper training and motivation.
Nonetheless, that's just not an excuse that I want to be using each time we walk off the court losing.

Last Saturday night we had a match.
Out of the 5 games I've played, that was my worst performance.
I just wasn't up to mark and that frustrated me a whole lot.
I for one am the kind who can accept defeat so long as I know I played well and the team gave 110%... If I had to lost, I wanna lose with some fight also la... Right not?
Somehow, I just couldn't perform...
Couldn't control the ball, got very "kan cheong" when being pressured, too hesitant to take shots, couldn't read the game and worst of all, my stamina kaputs.

Frustrating.

Quite frankly, I was pretty much disappointed with my game.
I get depress when I know I play like crap and last Saturday was pure crappiness.
Oh well...
Quoting from my team Captain,
"One final match to redeem our pride..."

This time I don't want to smell victory,
I want to taste it.

If I play like crap, I'll give 50 push-ups.

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Class of 08'

In my next few entries, let me pre-warn you that I will be over-using the word "last" a lot.
So if you do have any hatred against the word "last", read no further.

LAST week was my final week to be attending classes as an undergrad.
What seemed to be a dreadful thing, waking up 7.30am for morning lectures don't seem too bad after all.
This week will be my last study break/week before my final exams.
I won't be having any study break for a long, long, long time after this.
Everything that I've treasured in my uni life is slowly and inevitably slipping out of my grasp.

It's that time of the season no doubt... The jiwang season.
No matter how much people say or do to NOT feel the "jiwangness", I'd say that's all just bull.
I don't see why we should hide and not show our "jiwangness" especially since we're in a period of time when it's actually ok to be jiwang.
So why let all that jiwangness germinate inside?
Let me be the first to admit, I am one jiwang dude right now.

Last Thursday, after having my last lecture, one of my lecturer was so kind enough to host us a luncheon as a farewell thing for my batch of course mates. The funny thing is this, I used to dislike this particular lecturer, however, having gone through this semester with all the "hoo-ha" of certain incident in my class, I'm glad to say that my perception of her has changed for the better.

Anyhow, the luncheon was a memorable one.
It was just a simple catered luncheon in one of the rooms in our school, the school of Humanities.
I really and truly appreciate all of my course mates, though some I know I'm not close with but I think we all make up quite a muhibah and family-ish group of friends.


Some of my lecturers, who really are like our friends, that came for the luncheon.
They are just simply the best... Of course, along the way I've said some not so nice things about them buuuuuut, at the end of the day, I know that they rock no matter what. ;)

It was really just a nice simple lunch with the usual curry that goes with anything kinda food. The essence of the whole gathering was really just a short two hours of truly spending time, appreciating and of course, taking photos with one another.
To me though, the two short hours was a time of acceptance.
In that two hours, I think I managed to capture faces of my mates having a blast, a time that would past by and soon be just a memory...
And for me, it was to get that reality down my throat.
Acceptance was hard...
But had to be done sooner or later.

One of the things that I won't regret leaving USM and leaving my course is the fact that I know I did put effort in spending time with my Malay course mates, people who I know were struggling in this course. They rock. The time spent laughing, whacking rendang in their house during Raya, catching a movie in Queensbay and so one really adds on the sentiment of my uni life.

The other interesting fact about my class is that there are only 5 of us.... Guys.
Yes, there are only 5 existing guys in my course. The girls were unlucky but we enjoyed it thoroughly... Hehe...
The truth is though, it really didn't matter at all - that's the other thing I love about my mates.
Guys or gals, we just gelled together really well.
Guys we treat like gals and gals we treat like guys... Hehe.

Time really does fly by so quickly, 3 years just whisks past.

Long live the class of 2008...
And mind you, English Language and Literature Studies is the BOMB ok...
Don't patronize just cause we're studying something not "professional"...
I'll beat you up until you breath your last...

One for the family!

English Language & Literature Studies
Class of 2008
(2005-2008)

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The Last Lunch

Just attended my last PKA meeting this afternoon.
Had my final usual after PKA "Bakti" lunch too.
Sigh.

3 years.

It's time.

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Goalkeeping - yes/no?

I've been playing floorball for about a year plus now.
Needless to say, it has become one of my greatest addiction.
It's my kinda sport - Fast paced, team play, all-round agility and of course insane stamina!

Since I first picked up floorball I must say that I've had a good feel towards the sport.
You know, that feel that germinates within you, telling you that you have got that extra edge to be averagely good in something.
Everyone has that.
I felt it.

Last week, I explored a rather new territory in the game of floorball.

GOALKEEPING.



Goalkeeping per say, isn't really something I've not tried before.
Being an ex-football fanatic, I've occasionally tried goalkeeping.
So in a way, it wasn't really something new to me.
Howeveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer...

Being a goalkeeper in floorball is really, a whole new ball game - literally.
What happened was that our usual team keeper couldn't make it back in time for our competition and we were in desperate need of a replacement keeper just for that one game.
Lo and behold, my team manager chose me of all people.

I'm the kind who loves taking a challenge when it comes to sports.
So, I never really hesitated when the manager approached me.
But boy oh boy, was I in for a surprise.

Goalkeeping in floorball ain't nothing like goalkeeping in football, except maybe the need of quick reflexes and that's about it in terms of its similarities.
Everything else was new to me - from positioning myself right down to movement of my body.

One of the hardest thing to do was to move around with my knees.

It ain't easy when your knees are not accustomed with the floor.
And with all that slippin' and slidin' on court with your knees,
the bruises will eventually show up sooner or later.

As predicted, both my knees are badly wounded right now.
Each time mandi, cry man.... sakiiiiiit....

What I needed was a freaking crash course.

"How To Be A Floorball Goalkeeper in 24 Hours"

Yes, that was exactly what I was looking for and Lin Ken, Malaysia's Floorball Goalkeeper, was the man to look for.
I managed to get him to give me a quick fix on my goalkeeping techniques.
(Thanks Link!!!)

Lin Ken giving me some last minute pointers just before the game.

A penalty was just what a first-timer stand-in keeper needed in a competitive match of floorball (*sarcastic*)... sheeesh...

Although I was excited on the idea of gaining the experience, I badly wanted to save that penalty.
But obviously, life ain't no fairy tale.



He scored past me like there wasn't any keeper around.
Bleh.

The final score?

Don't ask.
It's just too darn depressing.
Go find out at my club's blog if you really want to know how "great" my keeping skill was - Minden UniHawks.


Lin Ken (Left), the si fu, and I.

So here's my dilemma:
I think I have a feel for goalkeeping now that I've tried it but at the same time, I still want to work on my outfield play.
Should I continue exploring goalkeeping or hang the helmet and stick with my stick instead (*Pun intended)?
That's the thing about me, I love exploring everything but end up mastering none.
Sigh.

Goalkeeper?

Outfield player?

How lar?

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The Cruelty of Choices

The funny thing about having choices is the irony of actually not having a choice.
You see, if given a choice between 2 things, you HAVE to choose either one.
It's dichotomous.
There is an opportunity cost involved.
That's the cruelty of having choices.

How do you weigh between the choices that you have?
Which one is better and which one is not?
There's so many 'what if's'.
What if I choose to go for Jay Chou concert and not for Lee Hom's concert? (Ok, bad example)
What if the one I choose isn't the one I wanted?
The crux of the matter of having choices is really the fear of regret,
Isn't it?

I for one, am a very indecisive person.
I'm really working hard to be a little more decisive because I know it's an essential 'skill' once you step into the working world. Every once in a while though, I annoy people with my "Aiya, up to you lar" answer.

Bottom line is this -
The older you get, the more choices you need to make,
the more choices you make, the more lessons in life you'll learn.
As cruel as choices can be, it's cruelty can be the vehicle that steers you to the path of a better and wiser adulthood.

I hope.

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A New Frontier

I was reading the Star this morning while having breakfast at Macd's and I came upon an article entitled "Chance to shape a new political frontier".

Before I go on, let me reassure you that I'm in no right to go all political because I know I'm not equipped enough to blog about it. However, I've vowed to make a conscious effort to be more politically aware of what's happening. Another step to prep myself for the adult world I guess. So, yea...

Anyway, back to what I was saying.
The article I read was pretty interesting and had some pretty good quotes.
A well-known political scientist Dr Farish Noor, a Senior Fellow of NTU Singapore's Rajaratnam School of International Studies was interviewed about the recent election results.
He said that "the election results that transcended racial and religious sentiments have opened up possibilities of a new construct"
(The Star Online).
Being one who has always been against racism and racial disintegration, I have to concur that the recent election showed a certain sense of unity amongst our citizens in wanting to make a change in our country. It required boldness and bravery to take the risk of voting for parties that we never thought could win. Moreover, these parties took over what thought to be the stronghold of BN. To me, that showed a change of mindset, both politically and racially.

I find this saying by Dr Farish rather interesting and profound.

“Can Umno consider the possibility of a president from a Kadazan, Bajau, Iban, Penan or Peranakan background, PAS a non-Malay Muslim president or DAP a Malay or Indian leader?“
Are we forever to remain beholden to history and trapped by the circumstances of the past? Or are we going to admit to ourselves that this nation-state of ours is an invented construct and as such is also open to deconstruction, revision, adaptation and subsequently evolution?”
(The Star Online)

Well said.

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PKA Farewell Night 2007/2008

And so the night has ended.
OUR night has ended.

PKA Farewell Night 2007/2008

It's kinda surreal thinking about last night. Everything happened so fast.
I mean, I can still remember so vividly the 1st farewell night I attended during my first year.
Last night, it was our turned to be celebrated for.

Persaudaraan Kristian Agape (PKA)...

This society, or should I say family, holds great importance in my uni life or life for that matter.
Like I've shared last night during my speech, PKA has been the one thing that has kept me rooted in my spiritual walk with the Big Guy. Being in Penang for 3 years, I've gotten out of line in my personal life so many, many, many times before (NOTE: MANY) and PKA has never failed to be my "spiritual conscience" that straightens my path each time it goes crooked. I thank God for not allowing Satan to use guilt and anguish to rob me out of PKA.
For that very reason, I'm truly thankful for PKA.

Not forgetting of course, the friendships that I've formed with the people in PKA has a special place in my heart. They are without any doubts, my brothers and sisters. Definitely there are people that I've shared a closer bond with but that doesn't mean I've minus out the people I'm not close with. Each and everyone of them played a special part in PKA to form this truly amazing family of Christ. To me it's not the memories of my uni life that I'll miss most, but it's the people - The people that has sketched out every detailed experiences and memories that I have here in USM, Penang.

Last night reminded me of two things - The beginning and the end.
The beginning because sitting there and enjoying what the first year's have prepared for us reminded me of how when I was in my first year preparing PKA farewell for my seniors back then.
And it reminded me that it's the end because as much as I don't want to grow old and grow out of uni life, I was reminded that I'm now called to move on. How appropriate the theme was last night - You Are Called.


Oddly enough, not many people cried. The boys and I were placing bets on who would cry first. HAHA!
I mean, come on, it's a farewell after all... ;)
On a serious note though, I was crying inside definitely
(Not that I was afraid to cry publicly lar... it just didn't happened that way... hehe!).
It's truly a great pain having to leave these people.
Sigh.

It's a tradition here in PKA for us to pass down the mime "Find us Faithful"
to our juniors.
This time round though, the mime was dedicated to us and that sparked the jiwangness in me.

Ok, ok, aside from all the jiwangness, we had a blast last night.
Having been to 2 other farewell nights for the past 2 years, I can safely say that last night's venue was by far the best. The food was awesome too!
The performance, well, it was a good laugh. Haha!
Like I said last night, I believe one cannot truly appreciate the importance and the essence of this farewell night until you're the one being celebrated for, only then can you savour every little moment of it like a good age-old wine.

Everyone look good last night and that calls for a cam whore session!
We all went kodak... ;)

My beloved C.G - Elijah!

The two person I regard as my "ah ka", Annie, and "jie jie", Tzyy Ling.
Hehe.

Mervin, me & Troy.

This dude is definitely my closest friend - Mervin Menon.
Also, the person who introduced floorball to me.
;)

Ok, this is a random photo.
Li Yee and I trying our best to impersonate "Hairspray".
Haha!

To all 1st and 2nd years PKA-ians,
thank you so much for the effort you guys put in to prepare the Farewell Night for us. It's definitely something for us to remember and cherish for a very long time.

To my batch mates/kaki lang/ old farts/ final year,
thank you for being there since day one.
You guys are the bomb lar! Don't know how else to put it in words... keke.

The Final Year Students -
BFF? Hehe.

One for the family!

With love,
Christopher Koh a.k.a Chicken Backside

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Season of Change

Greetings people!

So here I am with my first entry and back to my roots - Blogspot.com!

Strangely enough, I must say that I felt a tinge sadness leaving my xanga account behind.
It has been good to me.


Many memories have been put into words there since I started using it in my 1st year.
With all the talk about being a final year student and how I should move on here after, I felt it was time for me to switch back to blogger.
Also, blogger is definitely more user friendly now that is has been upgraded.
No need to go through the hassle of learning the HTML thing! :)

In 2 weeks time, my stay here in USM as an undergrad student will be over
(how time flies -bleh).
Honestly, it's starting to bite me up bit by bit emotionally.
I guess the hardest part about moving on in this phase of my life is the fact that I would be leaving certain friendships behind.
Although efforts can be made to keep in touch, it'll not be the same as when you're together here as USM students.

Sigh.
Yes, yes, I'm in the jiwang zone now.

Tonight I'll be going for PKA Farewell Night.
Yup, this time around I'll be the one being celebrated for.
For the past two years, I've been the one listening to goodbye speeches by seniors and now, it's my turn to give the speech. Man...
As sad as it may be, I'm sure the night will be fun!
I'll make sure I have a heck of a time with my batch mates tonight.
It's OUR night ;)

The goodbyes will be hard though.

Last year's PKA Farewell Night (2006/2007).
With my Ex-CG members.
Tonight will be a blast.
I'm sure it will.

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