Sorry haven't been updating for a while (I know i promised someone that i will write more often, there there, i'm doing it now ok! Hee.).

Well at least things are still going straight for me. i am starting to regain my confidence in talking to others, partly due to the nature of my job which require me to do a lot of talking to people i don't know.

About the job
I found out through hearsay that i will be taking over the activities of a drop-in youth centre called Roundbox under TPC. Not good! I've been to the centre, which is just across TPC (in JSSC), it's a dying centre, with an ever decreasing number of active members. The total number of members reported (for management's report knowledge only) is over a 100 youths, but the really active ones... erm, 25?

Man! How am i going to revive that place! No doubt the facilities are quite good! 8-inch pool table, 29-inch TV accompanied by a full set of dolby surround sound system, dvd player, PS-game console system, Dance-practiced floor, full set of band equipments (plus mixers) and topping up with a nice pantry, refrigerator and plush sofa!

On the down side, the band equipments are deteriorating, the dance-floor is not fully utilised, the TV has got no antenna, we don't have a collection of movies to show on the DVD player, the PS-console dosen't come with any games, the pantry is usually empty and best, the centre dosen't open most of the time (only when there are activities) and is located in this tiny corner of the JSSC that i believe most can't find it. The good thing is that the Pool table is in real good conditions, partly due to the fact that no one really came in and the boss says that we should set up the rules for the table before we officially "open" it!

Side-track about the job
I am beginning to hear stories about my boss, although i have not actually sat down with her to discuss my jobscope... My new colleagues had already pre-empt me on what to expect, seems to me that my boss is a super direct person who will shoot her mouth off whether in things that she likes or dislikes (usually dislike)! It seems that they get scrutinized by her often.

Considering my past experiences with bosses, i think i really have to be on my toes ALL the time! I definitely don't want to be stepping on her tails, especially since i am considering to stay on for a while for this job! I hope i will be able to communicate well enough with her, and get "in touch" with what she wants!

(Go easy on yourself Alvin, just do what she wants! Although it's not good to think this way, but for now, boss first, youth second)

Recce Macritchie and Lower Pierce
It has been an interesting week, even though thye boss is not around! Mon recce hiking trip, tue and wed running groupwork!

What kinda of job allowed you to change into sport gears and go hiking in the middle of a working day? This! Went with my colleagues to recce the hiking route for the youth groupwork (although in the end we never went on the groupwork day). We recce the Tree-top Walk as well as the lower peirce trail. I have never been to the tree-top walk, i had wanted to go there, but during my last attempt (while i was still with my ex), it rained heavily while we were halfway up the track and we had to backtrack!

Alas, i've seen the tree-top walk! And it also dawn upon me that i am no longer as fit as yesteryears, felt my heart pumping precious oxygen while walking up the track!

The scenery at the Lower Pierce was beautiful though! Calm beautiful lake. I enjoyed myself there!

Parents/Youth groupwork
Tue and Wed were the parent and youth groupwork. Tue was for BW and BPC while Wed was for GP. Oh yes, i haven't write about what my centre does! Basically we deal only with referal cases, BPC or GP! BPC basically stands for Beyond Parental Control compliant and is refered to us by the Juvenile court while GP is the Guidance Programme which is refered to us by the police for youth who had committed petty crimes and the police wants to give them a second chance by not charging them.

In both cases, it is our job to counsel them and to help them resolve their issues and change for the better. The parents and youth groupwork is a half-yearly event that is conducted for both programmes, and this year, we had cooked up a series of activities for them including a sexual-awareness talk by HPB, parenting talk, activities to educate parents on our youth's activities today as well as a BBQ which allows the parent and youth to enjoy doing something together!

I particularly liked the activities where parents learned about where our youth hangout nowadays! We brought the parents to Orchard Road and gave them a series of tasks to accomplish, which are usually what our youths do today. For example, find out how much it costs to put on a tattoo~! This activities (accompanied by the youth) was supposed to be done by the parents themselves with the youth supporting them. It is interesting to see the way the parent-youth interact/communicate to get the tasks accomplished! I felt that was a good way to engage them to start communicating and to better understand one another!

Other activities include: Using $50, dress your child up and let your child rate how well they liked it. Choose an archade game to play with your child. Fun~~~

Oh, i led 1 game on the 2-days activities! Was kind of pushed to lead the game, but it was a good experience and a good opportunity for me to showcase my ability to lead a game ;)

More to come
There's certainly going to be more to come~~ I'm starting the new sem next week. 8 weeks of no-life sheer torture starts again~~ I hope i can cope, especially this time round, i don't think i can do as well as last sem.

Why do i say so? Coz last semester, i put in a lot of effort for my studies, i got to go home everyday at 3pm and have a lot of time to complete my tasks! This time round, partly due to the nature of the job, partly due to the boss, i foresee i will need to spend more time at work... Plus, i have also decided to put in a little more effort at work and to take things on a slower pace. Also, the module this time round are like so boring! Social Policy and Law... I've seen the assignments, i don't understand half the shit what it is talking about man! See...

(Come what may)

Supper and Mahjong
I went for supper at Geylang (eating tao hui) with Jieming and his gf yesterday night. Quite impromtu, called me at 8pm ask me to go! Tao hui was good, but the Shui Jing Bao the boss recommends sucks! I wanted to eat egg tarts, but the f** guy in front of me bought the last piece =.=, that's why the boss recommended the bao...

Whatever.

Worse loh, the boss suddenly ask us "Are you 2 brothers? You 2 look very alike leh" It's not the first time already, me and Jieming really look alike meh?? (is it is it, Jieming, tell me leh >.<) Maybe it's because we stay in the same bunk for 2years thats why! Co-habit, everyday see each other, then grow to look alike. If that's why, then how come Konghan dosen't grow to look like us yet. Blah.

Aiya, then after that, Jieming's girlfriend keep trying to spot the similarities between me and him untill i like whatever lah! (Then later he let me drive his car! Whoooohooo~~~ So long never drive le!! Heeheee)

Ok, on to mahjong! Played with Jieming, Hao (JM cousin) and his girfriend! Played till 5.30am and reach home at about 6am! Hao is enlisting today! It's amazing how someone who is going to lose his civilian identity in a few hours can still have the xin qing to play mahjong =.= Hope he's doing well in tekong now... (must be shouting this now: SAF 7 core values... blah blah blah... forget already!)

OK! That's all! Nothing else to say already!