Chapter 38 - Christmas

it is currently 4.17am as i begin on this post on Christmas morning. this is probably one Christmas, a different Christmas altogether. usually i would still be up wrapping presents and digging for more tapes to tape the wrappers together but this year, i've none to wrap at all. in fact, all i've been doing is to recover from youth camp and the fleur de lis by sleeping. i slept since 6pm, skipping dinner and all till now..

somehow there isn't a Christmas-y feel in me this year. i tried going into malls today to 'attempt' Christmas but nothing seemed to happen as i returned empty handed.. i guess this is a year where God is once again trying to say that Christmas doesn't revolve around shopping and presents but its about Him.

Christmas, is afterall a silent and a Holy night..

Blessed Christmas, all!

Chapter 37 - The "Holiday"

Ahh.. youth camp and the fleur de lis is finally over! no more sleepless nights of rounding, making sure everything is going as planned, getting the hotel to fix all the complains, etc etc until i resume working on FYP, of course.

honestly, this year's youth camp wouldn't be what it is without the help of every committee member, including the CSTs, musicians/av, hospitality and the games committee.. their tireless effort and enthusiasm kept me going all the way throughout camp even if that means skipping a number of meals everyday and having less sleep.

if you haven't noticed, this year's CST were formed by a "younger generation" as compared to previous years but they have never failed to impress me. each and everyone of them contributed much to the success of this camp and they have done very well.

not to forget the games committee which also mostly comprises of the CST again. without them working overtime aka doubling their roles, the game wouldn't have been able to take off at all!

Chapter 36 - The Camp Speaker

I know many of you are wondering who the youth camp speaker is and really, it can be rather annoying at times. I believed I've mentioned that I will let the news out when I have concrete news and nobody seems to listen. So here I am, posting a post about our camp speaker so that everyone knows who is he. I just got the info 10am this morning (Saturday) and I have to go to youth so PLEASE SPARE ME FOR NOT TELLING ANY EARLIER! I need time to relay the information too, you know..  at times I really think people think that I only have youth camp to plan and I've got nothing else to do and manage. just so you know it is NOT AT ALL EASY organizing this year's camp. you've no idea at all what I have to go through so please I beg all of  you to cut me some slack.

The below is the information I have EXACTLY without even one missing letter and I don't have any additional information except from the below so yea :) It's 100% ctrl+C and ctrl+V.

"Jeremy pastors the youth ministry at Victory Family Centre, in Singapore and runs their weekly youth service the edge which reaches hundreds of students every week.  Called as a teenager to serve God as a pastor, Jeremy has spent the last 15 years of his life serving in youth ministry.  He is a dynamic communicator and has a passion to see this generation lay hold of their purpose in God."

There you go, the camp speaker for Calvary Youth Camp 2008 - Jeremy Seaward from Singapore.

Sign up now? 

zz.

Chapter 35: The 'Final' Exam

Finals are tomorrow! (Monday and Wednesday) and I've honestly haven't been studying much since the FYP and assignments ordeal last week. This week have been seriously packed with birthday celebrations, lunches, dinners, surprises and last but not least, major youth camp planning sessions with myself (i.e. sitting in my room with two computers, having every past camp's information and booklet laid out in front and more camp stuff from all over the globe on the screen, massive email sessions with various people and phone calls with the not-so-helpful hotel staff). 

"huh? janwong got exam wan mehhh??"

Feels like work is the only thing i do huh? lol

Well, I guess tomrrow's exam wouldn't be too difficult to

 manage.. or at least I hope so. Back to studying (or trying to)!

Urgh and I just remembered I've to continue with my FYP soon. Have to have a meeting with my supervisor after my finals. Banyak kena buat.. else I doubt I can even go for camp -.-

Sign up NOW!

Chapter 34 - The Freedom

I-AM-FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

(well, not really)

Submited my midpoint (FYP) documentation today. 114 pages, around 28,000 words excluding appendices and it is only MIDpoint. This means that there are 5 more chapters to go till the final submission + the working system. 

Next up are my finals in 2 weeks time then 2 weeks of holidays (mind you, FYP is still counted during that 2 weeks so no holidays afterall).

Anyhow, I'm glad I'm finally over midpoint. Now I can breathe a little and finally sleep earlier than 3am :)

Chapter 33 - News Flash!

I'm only half way through my busy schedule and here I am, down with fever and flu. So timely, isn't it? It currently feels like I'm at Cameron's as it is rather cold even with a single fan turned on. I need to get well quick to get back on track. Lots of things to do in this coming week.

Anyhow, that is not the news that was supposed to be flashed. Shirts 4 Real is on today's newspaper: The New Straits Times (business section)! So go grab a copy or simply click http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/Industries/Retailing/REAL26.xml/Article/ for you lazy people that do not read newspapers (like me but today is an exception).

Chapter 32 - The Abundance of Work

I just had to express my thankfulness somewhere:

I've just completed 98% of my (one of out many) assignment!!

now, 2 more to go excluding FYP *sigh*

I'm sure lots of you have been wondering whether "does Jan really have SOOO much work/assignments to do as he claimed to have?"

well, let me give you a little tour:

2 assignments due this Friday

- 2 mobile web applications accompanied by 2 full reports and user guide (4,000 words)

- 1 project management report based on the PMBOK (7,000 words)

1 assignment due next Wednesday

- 3 reports, 2 presentations all regarding different areas of the module (5,000 words)

FYP midpoint presentation next week

- Chapter 1 (introduction) to Chapter 5 (analysis and design) approximately 100pages or 30,000 words

Finals on the 10th and 12th November

- 2 2hour papers, 3 questions choose 2, 50% each question

First week of December

- FYP progress report with supervisor (development of the system has started)

- Also the beginning of a new semester aka final sem

Second week of December

- Claimed as a critical week though still unknown

This workload schedule excludes the following:

- Youth ministry responsibilities (LG + Events)

- Musician responsibilities

- Shirts 4 Real

- Genesis IT Solutions & Services

- and more assignments during the final semester

Working hours are now: 9am - 3am daily without any off days (Sat and Sun are fully packed)

So, there we go. Now you understand why I'm very thankful for just ONE 98% completion? :)

God has been very very good so yea, I'm not complaining at all.

Now I'm off to complete it!

There! No more dust and shrooms growing all over this blog for now!

Time management tip: Draw a timeline for yourself when you're very busy, with much work to do. Set milestones (i.e. deliverables) to ensure that you're on the right track. It works! ;)