Overall, A Great Day.

I rolled the ball into its spot with my foot. Thanks to coach constantly yelling at us to "LOOK UP!" I did (for once), checking the team's placement. The opponent's wall was a little misaligned, not fully covering my line of shot. I decided I would make the ball fly over the girl's shoulder and curl into the top right corner of the goal. I took my shot, not caring that my shots are usually terribly off-target. I just forgot it all and decided this would be my shot. I watched the ball as it flew in the air, curving over the wall and causing them to turn as they followed its trajectory. At the last moment it curled left just enough to roll into the top right corner of the net, and fall to the ground behind the goal line. I think I couldn't believe it for a while. I stood and stared while my teammates at the boards cheered. I hope I never forget how much I want a goal, and what it feels like, watching the ball hit the net. Very satisfying. I got scolded later for bad defending, and that sucked but I will improve so that I, and the rest of the team, can take more shots in a real competition, when the stakes are higher.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that confidence pays off. Many times I don't get a shot in or I lose the ball because I hesitate, falter, feel unready and therefore am unready to do what I've trained so hard for. On one hand, a literary mindset means I deal in ambiguities all the time. On the other hand, floorball training tells me that uncertainty kills. Teammates yell that at me all the time. Make up your mind! Hmm...yes...perhaps it is better to stop dreaming and get in step with reality. Would certainly help in getting essays done more effectively. Mental forays into matter miles off the topic hardly help with deadlines. Random recollection: some first-year who knows a little of graphology (study of handwriting) says my handwriting indicates that I daydream a lot. It was actually quite accurate. More randomity: actually over the years several people have expressed interest in my handwriting. My JC Lit teacher said it was schizoid, as I had about five different handwritings in one exam paper. Another would-be graphologist said my writing was terribly fascinating, but left it at that. What does your handwriting reveal about you? I wouldn't say graphology is completely accurate, but it is possible that certain qualities of writing are frequent indicators of a particular trait. How far one can take it as a pseudo-science, though, is questionable.

Also today, I received an email from NUS saying ASEAN scholars are getting an additional $1500 a year (35% increase!!!). Yes, it deserves three exclamation marks. I've been really stressed about running out of money. Somehow MOE was moved into parting with $1500 pax--that translates into a lot of money annually, even in the face of the gravest financial crisis of our time. I don't care if people say it's just coincidence, or an unconnected decision made by some sympathetic MOE bureaucrats, but I just want to thank God for providing! Money doesn't need to fall from heaven for us to recognize that God is at work to provide for people (though that would surely be useful, but then if I didn't believe I'd just say someone threw it out of a plane). Faith recognizes God at work, behind the scenes or upfront. If I refuse to believe then nothing short of him killing me and giving me the eternal perspective (where it would be too late to change my views anyway) would make me change my mind, I guess.

So overall, it's been a great day. =D