Make A Difference

by John Maguire

It’s May 2009 in the Cat and Fiddle pub on Stanley Road, Bootle.
Two fella’s are sitting at a table motionless, staring into their pints,
Refusing to acknowledge what is being beamed out
to the world on the Big Screen in the corner.

“Thought you’d have gone to West Brom lad”

“Nah, couldn’t be arsed mate, i’m fed up with it……….
I never thought i’d see this day when these *****
equal our League Title’s record.”

The screen in the pub is showing footage of
Manchester United players running round the pitch
with the Premier League trophy, the fans delirious
knowing that they have finally ended Liverpool FC’s
reign as the team to have won the most league titles.

“Sickener innit? You know our problem don’t ye lad,
too many draws, look back to the likes of Stoke and Portsmouth
at home? The week before Stoke, we beat Man U,
the game before Portsmouth, we beat Chelsea away,
and then we go and draw against them ***** teams.”

“Tellin’ ye…the team and the crowd are just not up for it in them lesser league games, and we’ll never mount a decent title challenge
until both the team and the supporters go into these games and give it their all…..I just wish I could turn back the clock
to October 2008 when we’d just beaten Chelsea and we’re sittin at the top of the Prem.

I’d do absolutely everything that I possibly could to drill it into our players
hearts that it was our year. And if we, the supporters, believe in them
and could transfer that belief from the terraces and into their
minds…then we would’ve done it. We’d've stopped this ******* nightmare!
We’d beaten the best, we just had to then beat the rest.”

“I know mate, I know….can’t turn back the time though can we. Just got to focus on next season now, see who we buy in the summer, and then hope we
mount a decent challenge…..aaaah who am I kidding?

We’re always out of the title race by January…can’t see that ever changing….”

The two fella’s gulp down the last of their pints and shuffle
out onto the street, Sky Sports is now showing footage of the Man U
game, “Beautiful Day” by U2 accompanying the celebratory scenes at the end…

…then, the music stops,

And you realize that it’s not May, it’s not 2009, it’s October 2008.
You’ve got your wish. The time has been turned back and you’ve
got that second chance to make a difference.

So what are you going to do with it?

Cos I don’t wanna be sitting there watching those ***** run round whatever pitch they clinch it with their 18th League Title…**** THAT!

We know we, the supporters, can make a difference.
I’m not arrogant enough to suggest we’ve won games ourselves
(ok, maybe the Chelsea semi 2005 like) but we DEFFO make a difference.

So as long as we do our bit off the pitch,
We might not be watching them horrible ***** celebrating their
18th League Title come May 2009.

Singing, flags, banners, getting’ in the ground a bit early etc. Sound. No problemo.

What about something different though,

What time does our Team’s Coach arrive?

What about a proper mob of die-hard Redmen waiting on Anfield Road
for the Team Bus to turn up. That could give them a bit of an edge,
seeing a load of contorted faces, clenched fists and banging on the
side of the coach instead of a gang of blerts with Anfield Arnie Autograph books.

Some of our younguns could get down to Melwood the training session before a game,
let the ***** know that WE mean business and we DEMAND them to mean it too.

Things like, if ye see Riera doing a bit of shopping in the Allerton Tesco,
Don’t blimp his trolley to see what scran he’s just bought,
Grab the **** by the ******* throat and scream down his ear
How important it is that we beat Fulham this Satdee!

Cos ye know what la, I’d hate to be watching that shower of *******s with number 18,
knowing in the back of me mind that there was something more
I could’ve done to prevent the horror show of what we’d be witnessing.

Oh and just to re-iterate, man u could be winning their 18th League Title in May 2009.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

———————————–

But what about supporters residing in places other than Merseyside?

Nothing much, except to post on facebook/blogs/forums warning the players to not get complacent against ‘weaker’ teams, or else. sigh.

Till the next time, it’s me, woonie, signing off.

is there… no other?

And I still haven’t gotten any news of other J2 rafflesians going in to Pasir Ris camp. I only know that Aaron Tan’s enlisting on the same day as me, but to some other place.

———————-

asfddsafdsa
(obviously fake email)  | 220.255.7.223

is it bad to be a commando? if it is, then it must be retribution lar. get over it, loser.

From vocation, 2008/10/25 at 3:50 PM

Oh why do such idiots exist?
1. There’s no mention at all that says that it’s bad to be a commando. I’m just unsure if I wanted to endure more “Commando Chong!” exclaims by fellow schoolmates after I told people about my commando vocation assessment back in July.
2. But honestly, who have I offended to be called a loser? The only person qualified to call me a loser is myself.
3. Retribution? Retribution for what?
wtf?

Why did I even bother to reply to the comment? gosh.

Till the next time, it’s me, woonie, signing off.

vocation

No point hiding the fact that I’ve got a direct enlistment to the commando vocation now. So far, I’ve only told Mark Yeow, and my family, including my brother, who was in camp when i sms-ed him the news. For everyone else, I just said that I’ve gotten my enlistment letter already, which said that I will be enlisting on the 9th of January next year.

Apparently John Cheo “found out that commandos enlist on the 9th of January”, and told this to Mervyn Tan, who promptly announced to the whole world that he had inferred that I’ve “gotten the commando letter”. So lately, I’ve been asked by many people, mostly the arts and humans people, if it is true.

So, rather than to continue being pestered about my enlistment status, I shall say this:
Yes, I’ve been directly enlisted to the Commando Training Institute at Pasir Ris Camp, and will be enlisting on 9 Jan 2009.

And, for my sanity’s sake, please, stop asking.

EDIT: Though,
junhan says (9:20 PM):
so u goin pasir ris isit?
[ 炫 ]  ㋡    says (9:24 PM):
yesh
junhan says (9:24 PM):
jiayou!
[ 炫 ]  ㋡    says (9:25 PM):
haha thx
junhan says (9:25 PM):
take gd care of urself at all costs
[ 炫 ]  ㋡    says (9:27 PM):
alright.

I really appreciate the well-wishes.

————————–

The first thing my brother told me, when he returned home at 10.45pm last Friday, is to change up and go for a late-night run around the neighbourhood. Everything went well for the first 10mins, then I started dying and finally decided to stop at the 15-min mark, even though we planned to run for half an hour. oh no this is bad i’m unfit. But considering that I haven’t been exercising at all for the past 1.5 months, it’s a good start.

—————————

In terms of sports, this weekend has been a fantastic one. First is Liverpool’s 5th match this season where they come from behind to win the match. 2-1 down, Liverpool scored twice in the last 10mins to remain at level terms with Chelsea on the Premiership table.

Second is Hamilton’s victory in China. Absolutely no mistakes at all for this driver throughout the race. I’m hoping that he finally wins the title this year after a disappointing end-season performance in last year GP season.

Third, a fantastic display of skill and determination by the Boston Red Sox saw them force a Game 7 in the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite being 3-1 down, they made a comeback from a 7-run deficit to win Game 5 and won 4-2 in Game 6. The commentators also mentioned that Boston had gone 10 games without a single fielding error. Game 7 tomorrow at 8am will decide who faces the Phillies at the World Series.

—————————-

In terms of mugging, I got much revision done, though my stats and physics qualitative aren’t rly up to mark yet. I also haven’t touched Econs for a long while, but I’ll get to it once I get my 1/3 share of the Econs Prelims 08 from Shu Yi.

And I just realized that Math Mock Paper 2 is tmr. Ahhh stats stats stats. Gotta re-read my notes on X bar and related stuff.

—————————-

As I mentioned on my blog a year ago, I got a pair of $10 Starbucks vouchers which are valid for a year until 18 Oct 2008, for my “best progress in class for Econs” from my Econs tutor.

Somehow, I managed to postpone my usage of the vouchers (I keep convincing myself that I don’t deserve these vouchers based on the fact that my econs grades have not improved much since then). I asked people out for a mugging session at Starbucks but no one seemed interested. I even offered a few people (whom I know are coffee-lovers) the vouchers but for one reason or another, they rejected the offer.

So in the end, I gave them to my dad and my brother. After all, what better way is there to share freebies than with the family.

TIll the next time, it’s me, woonie, signing off.

enlistment

I’m ditching my super-angsty post about farewell ceremony, so.

Got my enlistment notice last tuesday. I’m enlisting on the 9th of January. So damn early. I’d wanted to either do some relief teaching for the money and experience, or perhaps take up this teaching internship programme and hope that my enlistment date would be in march, like my brother. But it isn’t. =((

Went to find Mr. Seah yesterday coz I wanted him to help train me up before I enlist. I haven’t been exercising; there’s isn’t even enough time to mug. gosh. And I’ve gained a lot of weight; I’m almost 70kg. Oh nooo…

—————————

Seah: “I’m really happy for you, you know.”
Thanks.

Till the next time, it’s me, woonie, signing off.

household chores

I find it immensely irritating when I take time off mugging to spend hours on household chores only to be reprimanded for things like not spotting a single strand of hair lying in an obscure corner of the house, or clipping the clothes on the bamboo pole in a pattern that my mom does not approve of etc etc. Stupid until cannot be more stupid, 你真的是笨到不可以再笨了, they say.

Till the next time, it’s me, woonie, signing off.