I guess I'm down with it. Being in Indonesia, it's difficult not to get the disease that had been attacking the nation this past weeks.

Like during any World Cup season, the nation was stricken with football-maniaism :O Just that this time we're all more hyped-up, cos although it's on a much smaller stage, the AFF (ASEAN Football Federation) Cup, it involves our very own players playing the finals! (:

Three days ago, things were quite out of control. Thousands of people wrecked havoc when the crowd management failed to control the crowds queueing to buy tickets for the finals. Shocking as it was, such mess was not really new to the nation. Disappointing, but luckily things got better after a few hours.

The first round of the finals in Malaysia was even more disappointing. With the crowds aiming lasers at the Indonesian goalkeeper and throwing firecrackers into the field, it seemed unavoidable that the goalkeeper eventually protested to the referee, leading to the match being stopped for a few minutes. Afterwards, the previously refreshed team's mental went downhill. The match ended with a score of 3-0 to Malaysia.

With the very high expectations and the long-running feud between Indonesia and Malaysia (usually stemming from claims over culture and traditions, such as batik, reog--I shall not elaborate too much lest I become too biased :P), of course everyone felt at the very least a little upset with the results. However, the football team was greeted at the airport with cheers and support from many Indonesians. That opened my eyes. The nation is maturing. Losing to its rival, the team was still loved by the people. The sense of pride is there. It wasn't much like that in the past. At that moment, I was starting to be really proud of Indonesia.

Today's match, the second round of finals, made me even more so. Well, it can't be helped that most of us Indonesians still hoped for a miracle to happen, that the team will at least scored 3-0 or more, at least giving us a chance to win the cup we had never won since 1991. The hope was threatened when the score still tied at 0-0 by half time, and almost entirely extinguished when the Malaysian team scored a goal.

But the Indonesian team pushed on. And I got worked up too. I was like, "C'mon, at least score a goal against them. Just one!" As the match continues, the crowd never stopped cheering.

Eventually, I got my wish granted! :D That actually makes things felt much better.

And all along the match, until the very last minute, the crowd never stopped cheering, the team never stopped attacking. Another goal was scored then (: At that time, however, I didn't care about the aggregate score anymore. I was proud of seeing everyone's fighting spirit. I've only seen such a spirit when the nation supported badminton, our area of specialty (or used to be? :S). To see the nation so bonded by another sports, wow.

On the other hand, the Malaysian team did really well. Their defense was always tough to break, their goalkeeper friggin difficult to pass through and their strikers were always ready to, uh, strike, of course. Their players won on stamina. Also, I notice that Indonesian players are on average shorter than their Malaysian counterparts -.- The team spirit's, however, commendable (:

Ah, that's why I love to watch sports. There are so much to observe and so much to learn or not to learn from. The laser incident, I mean. I admit, I saw the Malaysian goalkeeper getting lasered at during the finals in Jakarta too :/ Well, even for a grown-up nation, the temptation of a revenge is sweet, eh? :/ Not a good example to set, but hey, you can't totally blame that person for doing so :P It was such an obvious laser though -_-"

Well, the whole event just showed me that the nation can be really one to be proud of. Despite all the chaos that happened like racial clashes or religion ones, eventually we're still one nation.

I just hope that this spirit can be spread into other areas.

On a lighter note, some people counted that since the match between Indonesia and Malaysia before the finals ended 5-1 in favour of Indonesia, after the 0-3 and 2-1 finals, the total score will be 7-5 for Indonesia :P

Of course, the AFF Cup will have to wait for now.

Garuda di Dadaku. Wow. I'm liking that song.

-vNs-

I miss you so much I feel like bursting :/

I mean, I'm happy here, my family's here, the food is awesome, there's no stress of thinking what I need to get tomorrow cos everything's provided.....but it's just not the same without you around.

I feel incomplete :/

And it's only been half a week -.- I know next year it'll be even tougher. Still, it's not like I can cry or anything, cos I'm supposed to be happy here. The result? Everything got choked up inside me :/

I know I'll hold on, like I always do. I know you will too (:

-vNs-

I CAN'T FIND MY PRELIM RESULT SLIP! :(

Roar.

-vNs-

Bored. Again. Lol.

A bit stressed over something. Maybe cos I thought I had overcome that stumbling block this time, yet it popped out again. And I don't think I can get through it. We'll just see.

I understand that certificates serve as a concrete proof for skills, and that it's the quickest way to judge someone if you're hiring. But this whole cert thing overlooked a lot of things. Self-study is one. A different system is another.

Whatever.

I should get enough sleep :/ Strangely, I've been getting little sleep the past 3 days or so -.-"

The concert was rather nice (: Well, not all pieces are picture-perfect, I guess, but that was one of the neatest Carol of the Bells that I've heard, and the Rudolph was excellent! I think singing and clapping worked XD It was very short though. I need more. XD

Hari conducted really well. And I mean, reaaaally well. It's well enough for someone who has conducted for years, and it's superb for him who had just started conducting half a year ago! :D kyaa! *fangirl scream* HAHA XD He's got the look of a conductor too :O I knew we had our student conductor when he put that in his exco form :D but of course, I didn't know he'd be this good :D

Ok. I should...I don't know :( I want to play with ukulele pichu for a while, but I'm dead sleepy now. Haha.

-vNs-

I'm so bored I wna scream :/

LOL.

After the days and weeks and months of intensive mugging session and CCAs and all, I guess I'm not used to having nothing to look forward to :( -.-"""

Yep. I found myself wishing for Prof Layton and Luke to come out of the monitor and accompany me for real -_-" or Lapras for that matter -_-"

Couldn't even take a walk since it's raining heavily outside :/

On the lighter note, I got my hands on SPAM and baked beans! :D Finally. Haha.

I guess I should go back to my games? -.-"

No Wita to spam-call or go out with :( Just spam luncheon meat to eat :(

Ok that's one pathetic pun. That's how dead I am XD

Aiya I'll get some air tomorrow, with the travels to and from embassy, and with the concert ;)

-vNs-

Hmm. So how have I been since Monday? :D Awesome.

Well, right after the last paper, I have what I'll call 'post-exam sleep syndrome' :P On Monday and Tuesday I felt reaaally sleepy. Had a 5 hour nap :D Then a 9-hour night's sleep after that :D Sadly it ended there XD Yep. Went back to school for guitar camp yesterday, to see how the juniors are doing and to spend time and to help if necessary. Basically, to have fun XD

Yesterday the sectionals were canceled since Mr Choo came and I just stayed to see the SL pieces. Some were pieces my batch played before, some were new pieces. Yesterday's games were hilarious though. Highlight of the day would be Kian Cheong's act with Martin. Hm.

Hm. I sound like someone. Hm.

LOL. Anyway today I went for the sectionals in the morning, 9-11. Zuler said he overslept and so I predicted he'll reach around 10. Well, he reached 15 minutes earlier than that :P And would've been sooner if the bus wasn't that slow, he said, but I think the problem is still with the oversleeping :P

Then all of a sudden I felt hungry and asked myself, "Why do I feel hungry?"

"Oh, right. I forgot to eat breakfast!" -.-"

Was so busy looking for and photocopying the documents I will need to renew my passport tomorrow that I forgot breakfast -.-"

Well, had lunch straight away at subway after that. Then, on our way to a photo studio for my passport photos, ZL and I were stopped by Jing Jie and Ai Jia who were getting stressed over the guitar camp food game -_-" it was sort of a puzzle, the things you eat must connect with one another's syllable, like, ma'you' - 'you'tiao, etc etc. But they always get stuck without getting much food, and yeah. I give up describing this. I can just say that it was so funny, laughed until tired...XD ice biscuit. Hm. Good.

I can see the juniors bonding very well (: I realised the difference between their camp and ours last year. Their camp groups are their sectionals, and as such the sections can bond very well. Ours....we scrambled everyone up, in order to bond the whole ensemble, but maybe by doing so our sections do not bond as well as theirs? Hard to tell which one is better :///

So.......tomorrow is a busy day! I'll go to the embassy in the morning, should reach there latest by 10AM, after which I'll prepare someone special for prom XDXDXD and then I'll go for the juniors' xmas concert! (:

I prefer it that way though :/ Being alone at home isn't very nice. Well, it is nice, indeed, but not for a week straight (like when I was quarantined! XD)

Yep. I should slack till dinner time! :D

Oh yea. I sent in a job application online :P Have no idea how it'll be :////// Hope I'll get it cos it sounds fun?

I only have 3 weeks to find a job! XP Then I need to go back already, and when I return, I hope to be able to work straight away......so I am really left with 3 weeks. Hm hm.

-vNs-