A New Year, A New Day

Can't believe that it's been the fourth year since I started this blog around 2008 - looking back through my past blogposts, I found happiness, sorrow, smiles and tears; I found - small footsteps of the growing Ryo, as he makes his way towards adulthood.

I guess the thing about having a blog is that I can see how I've changed over the years, or perhaps what I've achieved - what I've dared myself to achieve. My blog acted as a public journal for myself, reminding me of who I used to be, and who I would become, showing me friends that used to paint my life's canvas, and friends that remained in my life.

Through my blog, I've also watched as my interests hop from field to field, eventually ending up at photography and music. Though, I know this won't be the end of the road - I might eventually find another interest, and hop along with the bandwagon. The future's an unpredictable thing, haha :).

Let's see, 2011 - A year where I've learnt a lot of stuff, knew a lot of new friends; just three days into the year, and I was already in the National Service Training Camp, wearing blue stripe-camouflaged uniforms, sporting a crewcut just like any other guy there.


Our chief trainer. I jest you not.

I didn't know what I would experience through the entire programme initially, but I endured; made myself strong, made new friends, and phoned loved ones weekly. It gave me a forehand experience of being away from home - alone, exploring the foreign world, whilst meeting new friends, finding a new band of brothers. The experience gave me a whole new feeling, as it wasn't my usual Chinese friends with me already, it was friends from all races and from different backgrounds - all striving to survive the programme, at the same time trying to achieve victory for Delta company.

I'm thankful to say that the programme ended with a happy note for me, what with Delta company being awarded the Best Company, and well, yours truly as the best trainee in the company :). Got a customised mug from the trainer! Was, and still am, very thankful that I got the chance to attend the programme - albeit it failing to improve my patriotism, it made me a better person than I was before.

Shortly after PLKN came my SPM results - 10As and 1B+ for Chinese. Kinda expected D: .


Me and my aunt, Pn. Ho :).

*zip* fast forward past much procrastination and failure to apply for scholarships in time *zip*Z

I enrolled myself under a Cambridge A-Levels course offered by our local Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC) around the end of April - the programme started on the 3th of May. Tension and anxiety was at an all-time high as I realised that this was the real deal; months of staying by myself away from home, and away from the protective embrace of my parents. I'd be in total control of my own life - doing whatever I choose to do, and yeah, not doing whatever I choose not to do.

Eventually found an apartment with some secondary school mates, and got my first laptop at RM1299 - an Asus K42J.



And thus college started for me, and it was a complete flurry of activities till the end of 2011 - tests, lecturers, tutors, friends - it was a repetition of secondary school life, though a much better one.

The lecturers were dedicated, unlike irresponsible lecturers that adults frequently warn us about - they were somehow like teachers, teaching for the sake of their students, not for the cold hard cash.

Friends? Though none of my SN12R classmates were from the northern region (most are from around KL/Selangor, a few from Kuantan, and two from Sabah), we eventually clicked as a class - Chinese, Indian, and Punjabi - all sharing the same visions to skive Malaysian Studies lecture since the start of semester. I was somehow voted as the classrep in the second week of school itself - albeit us all not knowing each other that well yet.

I quote my friend,

- "Are you our classrep?"
- "No, why?"
- "Because you look like one."
- "Har har. Nooo way."

The thing I love the most about SN12R? Well, we're unlike other classes. No loud-talkers, no annoying people, no extreme slackers. Of course, I fulfill all three criteria xD, but yeah, you get my drift. We eat, study, and make noise like a big family, and we do stand up for each other in hard situations. My class.. You can say that it's the main reason why I enjoy going to school, and one of the reasons that I'm starting to learn to like KL life.


Cheers!

On other news - Frisbee!

Joined my second frisbee tournament in Penang this year, on the 26th of March! Joined the AIMST team, as Waye Young invited me to join in. Was a very fun rain-frisbee experience with Joey, Adrian, Jit Kin, Waye Young, Vincent, Grace, Joyce, and Xin Xian :). Forgot the details already, hence I don't think I'll write anything long about this, gah.



For music, I've been working on trying to improve my piano skills. My piano at home's finally retuned (yay!) but I'm currently stuck in KL without a piano to play. Had to download a MIDI keyboard software to make music instead :D.

Me and my band, the NSTB, recorded some songs in the studio this year too! It wasn't the most perfect, but acceptable for beginners like us perhaps? :) also got the opportunity to perform a christmas medley (All I Want For Christmas Is You, Last Christmas, Jingle Bells, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, and Feliz Navidad) in Autocity, Juru!


Our band, after the performance at Autocity :D.

Of course, there's been much downturns in 2011, many because of my temper and my hard-headedness. Thinking back, I seriously need to change myself from what I'm becoming. Perhaps one of the reasons why I'm back to blogging - to remind myself whom NOT to become.

Come on, Ryo, control your temper. Treat your enemies well. Be mature.

The end of 2011. It's the flip of another page again, right over to my current page in 2012. It doesn't seem like much, but I'm feeling really thankful for even living up to my 19th year of life this year.

Will end off this post with a montage of some picked shots I've taken this year :).






Signing off,
Ryo :).