It's funny how just 2 years back, after not winning the league title for 4 years, Manchester United winning the 2006/2007 league title felt like the best thing in the world. After the European Cup final defeat last night, however, the 2008/2009 one just feels like a consolation prize.
There's a lesson to be learned in there somewhere. I'll look for it after nursing my emotional wounds.
Curse you, hope and escalated expectations!
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On a much brighter note, I've achieved another first in my life 3 days ago. I won my first ever sporting medal! The University of Nottingham Staff Futsal Tournament. Prior to this, I've never in my life won a medal in any sporting event.
I used to finish out of the qualification times every year in my high school cross-country runs. I got beat in the first round of the Adidas 3-on-3 Streetball competition. I was never the track runner or the high jumper in both primary and high school. I score 180 degrees own-goals. Recently, I even became the guy who always got picked last when they were drafting team members at the neighbourhood basketball court.
So, winning the futsal competition as a first choice goalkeeper 3 days ago naturally felt surreal. It felt great. Of course, the fact that it's a Mickey Mouse competition that nobody really gives a damn about is not lost on me. Kinda like winning a Research Award under the "Male Student in Universities Located in Semenyih, Malaysia, with the surname Ng and height above 177.5 and below 178.5cm"category.
But after all the sporting mediocrity I had to bear during my short 21 years of life, I think I deserve to bask in the glory of winning a gold medal for a while.
I'm awesome. 
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I don't know if it's yet another moral high ground moment for me but lately, I'm just not into gossips anymore. You know, the type where you bad-mouth somebody behind their backs but act nonchalant in front of them.
The first reason is because I believe there's always 2 sides to a story. Lots of people know it but not many practice it. Which is why I won't automatically agree with you if you're ranting to me about how the world is so unfair or how someone is such a moron. It'd be a lot more helpful to you if I step back and offer you an honest outsider's perspective rather than nod blindly along with you.
The other reason is because I'm just past the stage of forming cliques and marginalizing people whom the "gang" doesn't like. Partly because I'm not gonna let popular opinion in a group sway my judgment of a person. I find that the argument laid out is often very one-sided to whoever you're hearing it from. But also because I find the whole concept of bad-mouthing someone you dislike to a group of somebody else to be very distasteful. Almost like you're trying to get them to dislike him/her as well. Fair enough if they're sheep. Just leave me out of it.
Also, it's never a good idea to burn bridges. I know from personal experience that fate's a cruel bitch and somehow, sooner or later, you're gonna have to go to the person you "hate" for help. Of course, I'm contradicting what I said in the first paragraph i.e. being two-faced but it doesn't have to be that way. Most of the time, I find that whatever I hate in a person is really very trivial and it's often much healthier for me to be the bigger man and just shrug it off.
Plus, I'm against negative environments, especially at work. Everything can be worked out in a mature manner. There really is no benefit to be reaped from antagonizing someone or resorting to childish name-calling as someone from the university did recently. He must be in his 30's, acting like a little child in his e-mails. Frankly, I felt embarassed for him.
Yeah, this is really starting to feel like another moral high ground moment for me.
I realized a while back that I seemed to have lost the ability to sustain an interesting conversation in Mandarin. Beyond the usual questions like "How's life lately?" and "Any interesting plans coming up?", talking to someone genuinely felt like a complete chore and if there's anything that bugs me, it's the feeling that the person I'm talking to thinks I'm a bore. (Hey, it rhymes!)
Lately though, I haven't even been able to strike up engaging conversations in English! (But CM, you never have been interesting lulz!!11!!). "Catching up" phone conversations is usually cut short so that it doesn't descend into awkward silence, MSN messenger threads generally end abruptly and lunch with friend(s) is filled with small talk and boring topics.
This happens especially with acquaintances. I just run out of things to say beyond "How's work/studies lately?". Of course it doesn't help if the other person gives one worded replies as well. Maybe I just can't be arsed to "talk" anymore. I mean, why should I be the one to keep the conversations flowing?
Seriously though, this is worrying me slightly. Am I *gasp* boring?
A very interesting topic from the hallowed Football365 Forum, "If you could write a letter to yourself 10 years ago, knowing what you do now.."..
"
Dear me,
First of all, to prove that this is not some sick prank from your friends, I'll tell you something only you would know: You secretly adore the Backstreet Boys back in primary school even though you claim to hate everything about them and you had a crush on your Standard 1 class teacher.
Now that I've undoubtedly got your attention, there are more pressing matters to discuss, some of which you would not understand, but for both our sakes, bear with me and read on. I've compiled a list of instructions, complete with dates of events, that you must obey. They are as follows:
1) Seeing as it should be May 1999 when you read this, I think I would be correct when I say you're still using that black Chicago Bulls schoolbag which you think is so cool but is actually about half your body size and looks absolutely ridiculous.
Do NOT insist on using it until Form 2 when the strap finally breaks. Ditch it now and ask mum to get you something nice and affordable like a Bodypac since she's still very apprehensive about spending over RM100 on schoolbags.
Actually, you know what, fuck that, go to a shop in Sunway Pyramid called Tropicana Life and get a bag there. Pick a nice funky design. Tropicana Life won't be cool until later this year, so you might as well be the trendsetter. Go get em, tiger.
2) Also, middle parting hairstyles are not cool. Go to the hair saloon and tell them you want a spiky hairstyle. They're not exactly cool once you hit college but it's the best you can do in secondary school.
I know you're uneasy about this rebellious hairstyle because of conservative mum, but I tell you what, she actually likes it and thinks you look fresh in it. I know, she told me when I did it in Form 4.
3) Now let me give you some love advice. Letting girls know early on that you fancy them won't work until you've built some kind of rapport between yourselves, so talk and get to know them first. Oh, and don't let anyone in on your crush because secrets never stay secrets.
No need to get so nervous, they're just girls. You might wanna remember that talking about rock bands with girls is boring. Also, you'll eventually take a liking to this girl in Form 3, you'll know who in time. Do not invest a year going after her, she's just not interested.
Oh, oh right, there's a girl in your PMR Maths tuition class in Form 3 who will keep talking to you and also call you every week talking about what you'd think is meaningless drivel. She likes you, you retard!! Don't miss the signals, swoop in for the easy kill, or you'll wonder about what might have been. Ditto that girl scout your cousin will introduce you to.
4) For the love of god, please do well in your SPM. I'll clue you in, you'll eventually have to do a lot of Chemistry related work for your postgrad so don't hate the subject. Read Pn.Sandy's highly spotted questions, they ARE accurate despite what you might think. SPM Physics is so god damned easy so plea, oh wait, you'll actually do well for that, never mind..
Score those A's and get that JPA scholarship. Actually, screw the JPA scholarship, just apply for the HELP A-Levels high achievers' scholarship if you want, but make it a point to join HELP. The people you'll meet there will be awesome.
And don't screw up your A-levels.
5) Sub shirts and skinny jeans are a no-no. Consult Justina for fashion advice early on. You'll get to really know her in Form 5. Go on those shopping trips with her early on instead of halfway through A-levels.
6) This girl you'll be with in 2005. Sigh.......
7) List of buyers' remorse items you should avoid:
i) Pokemon and Lord of the Rings trading cards. No matter how many people play them in school, avoid them like the plague.
ii) MD walkman.
iii) Limp Bizkit CD.
iv) RM70 infrared USB dongle. You're getting scammed, you fool!
v) Money spent on cybercafes. No wait, forget that, cybercafes are cool.
8) Please do not puke in Bar Flam and some club in The Curve. Gosh, can you get any more embarassing?
9) In 2004, please tell her you love her before the moment's lost.
And that's it. There are actually more things I want to tell you but I'll just let you have little stumbles along the way because it won't be life if you don't make mistakes. Wouldn't wanna make things too easy for you.
Talk to you soon. Love you!
Yours faithfully,
2009 CM.
P/S: Greece is gonna win Euro 2004. Stick every cent you have on them before the tournament!!!
"
... has made a comeback of sorts if you haven't heard. He's going to be doing some "final" gigs in London. Started off with 10 dates but they've extended it to next year, I think, since the reception has been very good and also because, well, he's broke.
And according to the Fly FM news, he apparently wants the cast of Harry Potter (ie Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson et al) to be his guests.
Also, heard off Hitz.fm (I drive to Semenyih every day so have plenty of time for the radio), he's planning to adopt, apparently not being content with the 3 children he already has.
Hmm, Michael Jackson interested in kids/teen stars. Yep, makes perfect sense to me. Not insinuating anything like. And in other news, the sky is blue, fire's hot and Josef Fritzl is hunting for a house with a spacious basement.
... I don't think I had a worse one this year.
Allow me to list down all the unfortunate events that happened over the course of the weekend.
In chronological order, they are as follow:
a) United lost.
Thanks for listening.
Re: This
My subconscious really does have an annoying propensity to spring dream girlfriends on me. And it's cool, you know, if the girl really was imaginary. You can wake up, laugh it off and carry on with your day because you can't really put a name to that face. Basically, she doesn't exist.
Unfortunately for me, when it does happen, it's always with someone I know or have met before. I have to then suffer for the rest of the day as you know how crushes are. They linger on your mind for days.
Needless to say, I'm posting this right now because I just got out of a dream relationship this morning. I actually woke up cursing when I realized it was "just a dream". It's weird, I know! I feel creeped out just typing this! No, it wasn't a wet dream. As described in the first post, it was just innocent, fun stuff. And yes, she is someone I know. Well, kinda, not really, but yeah, in a very loose way, I guess I can say I know her.
It's irrelevant, in any case, because you can swap her with anyone else and I'd probably have woken up feeling the same way.
Anyway, it got me thinking. Is this my mind's way of telling me something? I'm saying this because I actually felt a lot happier when I was in an imaginary relationship than I am in my real-life one! I can't say it surprises me though because my real-life relationship has been going rough for a little while now. Certain circumstances mean that it's still going on. No, she isn't pregnant!
So maybe my subconscious just decided to let me get a "feel" of how much better things can be to prod me on to break things off in real life.....
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......or maybe I'm just a lunatic! Be right back. Need a cold shower...
1) Drivers who don't indicate when switching lanes.
2) Drivers who don't give way when I indicate.
3) Drivers who don't wave thank you when I give way.
4) Drivers who tail-gate even though traffic is heavy. Hmm, I think there's a trend developing here.
5) People who chew with their mouths open. The noise is incredibly annoying, especially in a quiet room. I got used to chewing with my mouth closed when I was 6. What's your excuse?!
6) Empty vessels. Here's a tip to remember: Don't talk about something you know nothing about. It makes you looks silly. And it annoys me.
7) People who cut lines.
8) People who take Facebook way too seriously. "The layout's changed. OH NOESS!!!111" It's a freaking website. Get over it.
9) People who don't thank you when you hold the door open for them.
10) Football plastic fans. I swear if I see another "MAN U ROXX" or "LOSERFOOL!! LULZ!!"....
11) Attention seekers. Hey, nobody cares..
12) People who take the high ground when faced with a moral question. E.g. "Oh, I think looks doesn't matter, personality is what is important."
You don't really think that. It just seems like the right answer to you. Jog on..
13) People who like Soulja Boy's music.
14) People who use "You don't have to be a rocket scientist to..." It's incredibly unoriginal and boring. I usually disregard the opinion of anyone who includes this used-to-death cliche in their arguments.
If I come across as a miserable git, it's because it's all my pent up frustration over the past year from (having to deal with)/(running into) such people.
If you're one of the people in the list, I apologize for suggesting you should be shot dead. Here, have a picture of a cute, furry creature to lift your spirits:
