when dreams come true

It was 1-0 to RJC. We had scored through a slip-up at the goal-keeping area in the first set and maintained our slight advantage over defending champions powerhouse MJC through the second set. It is clear to both sides of observers that the teams are complementary in skills and well-matched, for what one side has in skill, the other would make up for it with speed and dexterity.

Recognizing the lethal ability of the MJ team to score (for they had previously scored 30 goals in the previous 6 matches, with ~80% of the goals coming from one person, according to Raj!), the RJ team pressed on for the second goal that will place them at a more comfortable position.

All around, spectators watched the match with bated breath and glazed fascination as the syzygy of play at breakneck pace, unrelenting determination of the intrepid players as well as the sporadic moments of brilliance conspired to mesmerize all who were watching. The ball was travelling so fast that there were times you could hardly make out the trajectory of it! Add to that the fact that it was the final set with 15 minutes left and you could already imagine the tangible texture of the electrifying atmosphere.

And it was under such constrains and play at a frenetic pace that our dearest friend scored a stunning shot that eluded the MJ 'keeper! It was so unexpected, so beautiful, and so Raj-esque that us scouties simply could not contain our excitement, joy and exuberant praises for Raj! haha I don't think anybody had anticipated the goal at all - Raj was just travelling down the lane with the ball and most people might have anticipated a pass from the right flank to the left to set up an opportunity to score. But, as he had told us after the match, out of the corner of his eyes he saw a slight gap for him to exploit, and with a true striker's instinct, he hesitated no more and shot. And he got it.

It was a fantastic moment and we couldn't be happier for our friend. Furthermore, scoring the second goal at such a late stage of the game buoyed our chances for yet another gold to add to our already-amazing tally of 19 golds this year!

The game continued at an even faster pace, if possible. At one period of time, MJ played a highly-risky strategy and sent all five men out to the scoring field, replacing their keeper with another player! Somewhere amidst the chaos of the play, the MJ players managed to slot in an unstoppable goal to set up a tense finale with less than 5 minutes left to play.

Many a times the rushed intake of breath could almost be heard as we witness how close the other side had come to scoring, but it didn't matter for the whistle was soon blown, and the match ended 2-1 to RJC!!!


It was such a surreal and amazing experience to cheer your friend on and watch him score the deciding goal in such stunning fashion. How many people ever gets to live their dream in such authenticity and vividness? Placed into perspective by Raj's awesome goal, friends and I concurred that it is a clear epitome of how dreams can come true - if you invest your wholesome passion and belief in your team, in yourself.

Dreams can come true for everyone, but it is in such a context where others might view as insignificant that continue to inspire others around, and continue to push us towards achieving our own dreams.

I think Dennis puts it the most aptly when he commented, "The smallest man scored the biggest goal." That such a case of fairytale ending is manifest in our everyday occurrences just goes to show that we should not stop believing in what may seem impossible. After all, the only way of discovering the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.

vividly

i just had an amazing dream. it's like the most vivid dream ever and i can almost remember all the details. haha it's super cool, i'm writing it down now so i won't forget.

basically, i had to go overseas for 2 weeks to study in a new environment, i went there with my family for the first day and we went to some church. somehow, i also met dalai and farish in the church. later on, i found out that i have forgotten to bring the charger for my laptop and handphone. and we realised the charger for laptop cost $80 (o.0 is that true?) so my dad agreed to lend me his charger for his laptop instead. after that, i went to my new house for 2 weeks. along the way i met vinod, dalai and farish. apparently, they were holidaying at the new country i was in too, but would be going back the next day.

somehow, the next setting became the new school i was to go. i was applying to campaign to be something (most probably something like council), and had to fill in an application form and be interviewed. when it was my turn, they almost turned down my application because i wrote stuff like 'ggxx', and my 'the's became 'e's. furthermore, the judges said my handwriting was abhorrent too. but finally, after much deliberation and persuasion (i think maybe more like begging? ><) on my part, i got through.

campaign stage. this part is super funny. suddenly, all the BB COUNCILLORS appeared in my dream. and i had to select my campaign mates all over again. oh ya i think the country was japan or something, because i was thinking whether or not to get japanese campaign mates. after a while, eventually i got my house d to be my campaign mates. hahaha super weird. then i remember telling anna, 'hey anna, why dun you take a break here?' so i didn't ask her to be in the campaign group.

following the selection, i had to submit my stickers and forms to a teacher. the teacher was devilish. horrible. downright scary. she was super critical and threatened to kick me out of the campaign immediately cause i was late? i think. something like that. then she gave me 4 mins (haha yes i remember the exact timing too!) to finish up all my stickers. so i was like rushing through them using different coloured pens to write 'nickkkkkk' and spamming it on the stickers. someone volunteered to help me. i remembered almost rejecting the person but in the end i accepted his help. together we were spamming.

i think i got the stickers done on time in the end... but i'm not sure 'cos the next scene was in the toilets i think. somehow some of my posters got mass printed by other people 'cos it was supposedly funny. err or maybe they messed up my posters and mass photocopy. something about bad publicity. and it was around here when i lost all memory of this crazy, amusing and wonderful dream. haha but it was great while it lasted.

haha ever since i started sleeping earlier, i have been receiving interesting dreams. mmm good incentive to sleep earlier. =)

sometimes, i wonder if dreams are the medium for which our subconscious tries to convey messages to our consciousness. interesting.

a dream come true

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. - Anatole France

have you ever had a gamble with life and destiny with heavy stakes that will inevitably affect your future?

haha, well, if you had, you must have understood how i felt during the campaigning process for council. it was a hard decision for me to give up the opportunity to be in odac core - after all, i have always loved the outdoors and nature, having experienced the beauty of nature many times before, and allowed the comforting presence of mother nature smother me, putting me into a trance of peace and tranquility.

but i have always experienced this.. want, or rather, need, to challenge myself even further. joining odac core would definitely be a great experience and i'd definitely make great friends as we weather the storms of nature and hardships together. yet, the idea somehow doesn't seem to be satisfying and fulfilling enough.

maybe i'm a bit weird.. but i've always liked working under pressure. or rather, there have been many incidents in the past where i excelled under heavy stress. this remind me of an old post, and the link to a site on which the author suggests that the normal human inability to exert oneself to one's physiological maximum is the result of "acquired inhibitions that in turn are subject to disinhibition by pure Pavlovian procedures, by anesthetization of inhibitory mechanisms, or by pharmacologically induced symptoms serving as stimuli for disinhibition."

lol, there are some alien terms there.. but i think you can get the general meaning of it. maybe stress can open up a corridor leading me to the excess reserves which i've subconsciously stored and placed inhibitions on. oh well.. i dunno. just some lame hypothesis. back to the topic..

so.. i was sooooooo relieved when my gamble paid off. haha, now that i'm an elect (only officially known as councilor after the investiture xD), it seems so surreal somehow. i'm still trying to get used to the fact that my dream has actually come true.. still trying to condition my brain to accept it. lol, maybe i'll finally arrive at acceptance once i've settled in a department and been through the council camp! =D

CAMP! haha, simply can't wait for it. have always loved camps. so much fun and adventure, shock and surprises..

it's late... mmm, gotta sleep soon. lol, just played 3 dota games. crap. i'm not gonna play until i've completed all my work tmr! x.X haha but not bad la, it's a good feeling to be one of the most influential players in game =P ego-booster xD

to end off.. to those who have faced trials and tribulations only to find their dreams a hopeless cause, remember that if we had no winter, spring would not be so pleasant.. and to fly, we need resistance! cheer up!

p.s. saw funx's blog and decided to do the same test. haha, same results xD