Sunday, November 29, 2009

Event Highlights (Part 1)


N470 and N469 combined to organize a kids party which we called,

"I Just Wanna Have Fun" @ Bishan Park!
 

Between 1pm - 4pm that day, Ice Breakers, Telematches and a Treasure Hunt was deliberately crafted for the Pri - lower Sec school kids' holidays, to make them run about all of Bishan Park, laugh, scream, (hopefully not Cry), get dirty, tire themselves out and most importanly... to just HAVE FUN!!

It was a success!  Till this day, if you ask them, they still remember the party!  ... Even the older ones who helped out, I bet!

So how can I not end by giving credit and appreciation to all who availed their time and energy to help?!

From fetching the "lost sheep" to braving the rain to set up the stations and hide the flags, to waking up early to cook and lugging the food, running across the road to the petrol station for extra drinks, to fending away killer, monster ants and bearing all the screams and complaints here and there...  What can I say - these guys deserve a BIG THANK YOU:

Co-host / Planning:  Santy
Team Leaders / Members: Claria, Jordan, ZhengYang, HanYong

Station Masters:  Lester, TanYaw
Refreshments / Photographers: Elle, Shella, Gretchen, Kathy

Guys, all your sweat (literally) is very much appreciated!  You guys put the "FUN" in "I Just Wanna Have Fun"!!!  Loved working with you all!

From the bottom of my heart, Thank YOU.  ;)

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

So much for Sentosa!


Our plans to utilize our free drive-in Sentosa passes by
21 Nov ... FAILED!   =(


We were all excited to go on our night Sentosa expedition last Saturday after our cell group meetings.



We even managed to gather about 13 people from our subzone who were willing to squeeze into two cars to go!  We had it all planned out (though a little last minute) - moon-tanning, star-gazing, a couple of drinks by the beach, good company...  The weather that day seemed promising even...

About 6:30pm, we settled on which route to take from Hougang to Sentosa.  Everyone "choap-ed" their seats in the car of their choice - some preferred riding in the performance blue Mazda, others wanted space and comfort in the black Matrix.


 

However, before Jeremy's Mazda could even leave the carpark, he realized that his front left tyre had a puncture!!  Apparently, he had unknowingly driven over a nail and car made really loud banging noises each time he drove over a hump!

Remember the joke, "How many people does it take to change a lightbulb"?  Well, that night, the question was "How many people does it take to change a car tyre"!

So it was, a few mighty men braved the slight drizzle and began the task of changing Jeremy's front tyre.  Those who had the experience tried to recall what our driving instructors taught us.  Fortunately for us, there was an instruction manual!

So here's a friendly, brief refresher course:
'Coz We're Driver Too!

Step 1:  Loosen the bolts on the tyre



(Raw, brute strength's required for this!
So, just kick it if you have to!)



NOTE: It UNscrews in the ANTI-CLOCKWISE direction



Step 2:  THEN jack up the car



(The hook end of the "bar" goes through the hole on the right.  Start turning...)


Step 3: Fully unscrew bolts and remove tyre




Step 4: Replace with new tyre and screw bolts back on in a cross / star fashion
(so that it'll be screwed on straight)



NOTE:  You might want to find out where your spare tyre in your car's located first!  >.<   It's probably under the boot compartment.


Alternatively, just call the tow truck!!  haha...




We were all so proud of ourselves after we successfully changed the tyre!  What an "accomplishment" that was!




By the time all that was done, though, it was already about 8pm. Furthermore, Jeremy couldn't possibly drive around all night with a spare, which, btw, seemed a little deflated.  So, we took everyone to the nearby Esso kiosk to try and pump some air into the spare tyre.

FYI for the uninitiated (like us on that fateful night), you cannot pump air into spare at a normal kiosk!!  Apparently, the air pressure valve on the spare tyre's too small for the pressure guage or something...


                 Air Valve


Another side NOTE:  If you're attempting to check the air pressure on your tyres at the kiosk, but don't know what the specifications are, it is usually written your owners' manual or on a sticker located on the driver's side door-jamb!



Fortunately, the Esso guy suggested that we try the Shell station across the street as they sold tyres and rims there (if you notice, not all petrol stations do).  "It's probably closed now", we thought.  And yes, it was - it closed at 5pm!  BUT, we managed to call the technician and he said could come by in 15-20mins to help us!  PTL!

While waiting, we all speculated that he would change all the tyres.  In the end, all the guy did was patch up the punctured tyre and put it back on!!  S$40!  Jeremy was so greatful, he gave him a S$10 tip!


Well, so much for our Sentosa trip!  It was an interesting day, though!  When everything was fixed, Plan B kicked it as a reward for our "hard work"!

Since we were at Hougang, we drove off to Chomp Chomp @ Serangoon Gardens -> had Frolick yogurt  -> ended with The Desert Bowl (which never fails to reak of durian!!)  *bleah*


*yumz!*


*double yumz!*


OK!  So I hope you've enjoyed this informative (and a bit "chiong hay"; long-winded) post anyway!  Now you don't have to panic when you have a flat!  ;)

Friday, November 20, 2009

ET Zone Youth Day-Camp


              COMING SOON...
 
Not to be missed this December!

Your year-end holidays would not be complete without an ET Zone Youth Camp!! 

This year, it's a day-camp, meaning you get to enjoy a full day packed with activities and still get to go home to lay your head to rest on your very own bed! 

*NEW!  Dragon Boat race! 

More than all that FUN, allow your mindsets to be renewed and come excited to receive a touch from GOD @
CampBelieve:
Nothing Is Impossible
!! 


Your life will never be the same again!




Thursday, November 19, 2009

Movie Review: 2012


Nigel had just come back from a long, 3-week, army exercise in Australia and was eager get his life back by catching a movie last Friday!  But best of all, he jio-ed 18 over ET friends - from his past and present cell groups!

So if you were at J8 that day at about 11:30PM, you would have seen 3 ET zoners' cars parked next to each other at B2, and heard the excited echoes resounding the empty mall, of a bunch of friends at GV's snack counter, all ready to catch the late-night movie, 2012!

Btw, did you guys realise the date was Friday the 13th??!!  haha...



Anyway, "mai tu liao" (shan't keep you in suspense anymore)!  Here's the synopsis (NOTE: If you're thinking of watching 2012 soon, I might spoil the plot for you here...) and most importantly, my take on the movie:

Typical (and by that, I mean predictable) of any "disaster movie" like The Day After Tomorrow (same director, btw), 2012's about the Apocalypse; the end of the human race; but this time, instead of global warming, the end of the world will be brought on by the alignment of the planets in our solar system that only happens every 640,000 years.  And when all this supposedly transpires on 21/12/2012, it would cause a worldwide catastrophe, with major 9-point earthquakes and colossal tsunamis destroying national landmarks and entire continents even!



However, all these findings were kept as "Top Secret" by every government authority around the world, so as not to cause panic and uproar.  Basically, they were waiting for the "right time" to release the devastating news that, "we're all gonna die and there's nothing we can do about it".

This got me thinking - what a predicament - yes, the people had a right to know early about the findings.  But the government also had their reasons to keep it under wraps.

Sometimes, we might not fully understand why the people at the higher level do or do not do certain things.  But that's their prerogative - that's why they were put up there in the first place!  Guess we just gotta trust that they have a fuller and more complete picture of the entire situation than we do, and that they will act in our interest. 

The same goes for God!!  >.<


Well, lead actor, John Cusack, plays a science fiction book writer and a divorced father who stumbled upon this news from a wacky radio talk show host, played by Woody Harrelson (below), who obviously did a lot of research on the "end times".


There's always a guy in a show like this who goes around shouting "conspiracy theory" about the government, whom everyone thinks is a nut-case until it's too late, isn't it?

Anyway, Jackson Curtis (Cusack) having also learnt of another top secret escape plan which was meant for the "chosen" few, he desperately tries to warn and save his ex-wife and 2 kids, with their doctor step-father also in the picture, as South California literally falls down around them.







2012 ends with the survivors gathering in China from all over the world, where massive ships have been built to shelter them from the waves.

It couldn't have been more obvious when the movie showed animals being brought on-board, that the movie was a modern-day story of Noah's ark!



After this movie's premier I bet there was a lot of talk going around about how an event like is was plausible.

My cousin, who's also seen the show, made an interesting observation - this movie is fictitious because of the fact that in Genesis 9:8-17, God promised; He made a "solemn pledge" to every living thing on earth of "all future generations"  that "... never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth ."


Simple as that!



Well, as you can see, the visual effects in the show is awesome!  Making it a solid 2.5-hour long, nail-biting, at the edge of your seat movie!

Plus, it's always more shiok to watch it with good company!!  ;)

RATINGS:  Worth a Watch!

Plot     - 3 / 5
Visuals - 4 / 5


Hope you've enjoyed the read!

Here's signing off with the trailer (in HD!):