I have nothing against smokers, but just the bad habit of smoking. Yes indeed, I'm an ex-smoker, and I'm happy that I'm through and done with it. All of us are humans afterall, by nature we are imperfect. We make mistakes. The difference is do we learn from it? Or do we continue giving in to temptation? The focus is on the HABIT.

It is a proven fact among teenagers who smoke nowadays that most of them smoke due to these very reasons: (I myself would admit)

1. Peer pressure
2. Trying something new and thinking it's cool or the "in-thing"

Smoking can also lead to other "non-disease" related problems such as:

People/Neighbours whom you only recognise by saying "hi!" and "bye!" and they'll come smiling at you with this wonderful phrase, "Got Cigarette?". Find this annoying don't you? You'll be "well known" for your generosity. Haha.

People who claim to be your "friends" or "brothers", and then they diss you cause you've got no money to share and buy cigarettes. Problems could have been solved by talking to one another. The value of friendship wasn't appreciated, they turned mean due to their everlasting pact with their "true" friend. Such is their loyalty to weed.

Get caught by HSA/NEA. Get fined for either being underage/possession of contraband cigarettes/littering of buds. Who's to be blamed?

What they call Lepak which means slacking. Chit chat for long hours, talk about this girl that girl, and gossip (a hobby that has infected guys too. haha). Isn't time better spent on doing wiser stuff?

Girls who smoke. Well for me personally, I don't know if other guys agree, it is really a turn-off to witness girls smoking. If life is so stressful, go shopping, why smoke? Can't imagine girls who look so pretty from first sight, just awaiting for their pleasant smile. And then BOOM! YELLOW TEETH AND BAD BREATH? kwang.kwang.kwang

Well some maybe heavy smokers, others are just social smokers. They smoke only when there are friends of the same trade around them.

Some are trying their best to quit, but then always fail. It is good that some are trying. Kudos to them!

Think this way. For every pack of cigarette, you spend on an average of $10. Let's say you take 2-3 days to finish the whole pack. There's 7 days in a week, so you'll be spending roughly $30 per week on cigarettes, amounting to $120 in a month!

Realise that with every $10 note you take out from your wallet, picture it rolled into a cigarette and then seeing it burn in flames.

Money that has been hard earned, gone to waste.

When we bask in the glory of success,

sometimes we forget how we started off,

we're being complacent since everything goes well for us,

thinking that you're the next big thing

and you've got the world within the grasp of your hands

Get your feet firm on the ground, and back down to earth

Next thing you know, everything that you once had, is gone

"Where did it went wrong?" , "Why must this happen to me?" , you ask yourself

Where was the brash, arrogant, cocky attitude you once had?

There's no swagger left in you,

You can't even treat your wounded ego

Hari Raya is coming. Hari Raya is coming. Hari Raya is coming. And that means chores, chores and more chores to do. For the past weekend, I've been cleaning up my room. I just don't understand why my study desk accumulates dust so fast, like for example i wipe clean my desk on a certain day, and two days later the dusk will start to increase in numbers.

Maybe because my room is not well ventilated. Can say so cause I've got like an aircon which sticks on the wall and doesn't function, it is meant for just display I guess? Maybe I could like paint my aircon with graffiti and send it to the museum peeps, and let them scratch heads and figure out what this brilliant masterpiece could contribute to their walls.

And maybe due to the fact that I stay in the Jurong West area near to the carbon exhaling factories which continue to pollute the environment to this very date and beyond.

Today, I've finished cleaning up my wardrobe. I was amazed as I didn't realise how much junk was in there all the while. Ranging from a pile of socks with multiple bullet holes (don't ask me why) and off-coloured and undersized clothes and pants (which means I've GROWN and not FAT).

Well, what can I say? All of this is just part and parcel of life. =)

P.S (Next stop, my room WINDOWS. Sigh.)

IN MEMORY OF ALLAHYARHAM SHALAHUDIN JOHARI

A very laid-back and heartwarming person. I remember the first time meeting him was when me and my group of classmates were doing our CIP. He issued us with a license each to verify that we were given authority to collect donations in public. After the CIP, he helped our group take some photos, and he gave me his name card, so that if I had anything to ask about Mercy Relief, I could approach him.

The next time that I met him was by coincidence, as I was supposed to come by Mercy's Office at Toa Payoh to get the organisation stamp for my group from another colleague of his. He was all alone in the office and he said that everyone had went for lunch already. He then offered to take me through a tour of Mercy's office, out of his very own will.

He shared with me experiences that he gained when joining Mercy, and I could tell that he was content with everything that's going on in his life.

Again I met him, when I volunteered for Mercy's Photo Booth Exhibition @ Choa Chu Kang. I remember the smile on his face, when he said , "Guess what? I'm no Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs anymore. Now, I'm senior manager of International Programmes!". And then he went on about his new role. I could really see that he enjoyed helping others in need. A pure example of utmost dedication.

The last handshake, and the last words I heard from him, after World Humanitarian Day @ Singapore Repertory Theatre was, " Hey, so fast leaving already? Taking MRT?". I replied that my dad was fetching me by car. And then he said, " As always, haha. What a lucky boy! Thanks for coming, see you soon!".

On the 2nd of September 2009, after i finished my subuh (morning) prayers, my mum told me there was news about the death of a mercy relief worker. She handed me the Berita Harian newspaper she was holding, and when I saw the picture of the relief worker, I was in total shock. I added him on Facebook just the day before. The "awaiting friend confirmation" will always stay that way. He was only 38 years old, and still very young. I really couldn't come to terms of his death. Though i'm not a family member nor a very close relative of his, his actions and the character he displayed at the very short time span of knowing him, already left a big impact on me. He lost his life while helping out those in need.

Singapore mourns the loss of a very great individual indeed. He IS and WILL ALWAYS remain a role model to society.

A Salute to you Sir!

1 X SX Electric Guitar
Originally uploaded by Haidharov

Hi everyone,

I am letting go of my SX electric guitar set;

1 X Electric Guitar
1 X Amplifier
1 X Cable
1 X Guitar Strap
1 X Guitar Bag

Bought it from Davis Guitar Peninsula @ $240

Letting it go for ONLY $150!!!

I rarely use it, beacuse I've got other commitments and not too much into music nowadays.

So if you are really keen, please do leave a comment for this post, and we will follow up from there. Thanks!

Well, I am taking a module for my current semester, Our Nation Our World. It covers alot on national, regional and global issues. One of the requirements is to fulfill 10 hours of CIP, and the WORST part is that, we have to source out on our own.

Lucky me, through my religious class, I came across an organisation, Mercy Relief. I have heard of the organisation, but then didn't knew much about them. So I went to visit their website, and got more information on them.

To fulfill the 10 hours of CIP, I decided to lead a team of 12 in my class, and participate in some of their activities:

• Sri Lanka Humanitarian Relief - Streets Collection
• Mercy Relief Photo Booth Exhibition @ Toa Payoh Central
• Pakistan Humanitarian Relief - Streets Collection

I just like the way Mercy Relief design their donation tins. They have their own slogans for each street collection and they have images to illustrate the situation that is occuring on the affected country.

For the photo booth exhibition, it was more of public relations. We assisted patrons to view photos from Mercy Relief's relief missions, getting to chat with the general public and to promote volunteerism.

The activities made me become more interested in the lives of people from third world countries and disaster-prone countries. Aren't we very lucky enough to live in Singapore??? Still want to complain?

Usually, I only read and watch sports news, much of what a typical young adult would do. Haha. (I would pay 60 cents - 80 cents just to read sports news.) Now, I am always keeping myself updated with world news. This way, I'd be more aware of what's happening to other countries.

And to further support my efforts, I have decided to be a volunteer. I would want to play a part in helping out those in distress. =)

HAHA.

Hi everyone, it's been quite a WHILE since ive been blogging. I've been busy with quite a number of commitments, so let me fill you in.

Firstly, as a CCA in poly, I have took up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It is a form of martial arts made famous by Grand Master Helio Gracie. It is being practiced by many, even in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Well, what I can say is that BJJ doesn't involve kicking and punching like karate or muay thai. BJJ involves much more technical based maneuvers, being submission holds, chokes, locks. The idea is simply to get your opponent to TAP OUT.

This is a brief documentary on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Enjoy!