success & failure.

Ronaldo’s 49th-minute Goal

Manchester United do not have to be at their best to record victories. And they proved that with this match, when they marched into the Champions League Q-finals, albeit through nail-biting situations. Manchester United never looked at their tip-top best, until the dying 10 minutes of the game, when they became more assured of their victory. Nerves, probably. Even the best get jittery at times.

Cristiano Ronaldo was silent for most of the game, and only came alive when he scored 4 minutes after the re-start, and 10 minutes before the end of the match. But Inter Milan were wasteful in front of goal.

“Indeed, while they struck the woodwork twice, United scored twice. The clinching goal came when Wayne Rooney chipped a cross from the left wing and Ronaldo ghosted into space to head in. It was a moment to justify the billing. Players of Ronaldo’s stature are expected to determine such games. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, championed by Mourinho for Ronaldo’s title as the world’s finest footballer, spurned his chances. United’s No.7 took his.”

**- “Mourinho’s Inter Undone by United” -

  by Richard Jolly

(Source: Soccernet.com) **

Have I said how much I adore Cristiano Ronaldo? Hahahaha

Well, it’s raining again today. But I’m planning to finally go swimming this afternoon, though I’m tempted to laze around at home. Heh. But I need to do my body some justice & get some exercise & fresh air I guess. So I shall drag myself to the swimming pool later. Haha.

A few things to organise & a to-do list to complete. I’m spontaneous in behaviour & very last-minute so all this stuff overwhelms me, even though it’s really simple stuff to do. Like planning manpower for a wedding this Sat, finding my costume for a shoot this weekend & organising the PPP next Sat. Inertia. Can’t move. Stuck.

Audition today went okay. Hoping & praying for favour from the Directors & Producers of the different series I auditioned for. please please… pretty please?

On a contemplative note…

Yesterday my mum let me read the complete last e-mail of Dr. Allan Ooi. There’s been some speculation about the contents of the e-mail & the media has not released full details. And people have been second-guessing the reason for his suicide.

The e-mail is basically about his bond with the SAF & his work life being like “a prison”, “10-14 hours a day of nothing”. He stated the bond was “unbreakable” & there was a risk of “painful  obligation”or even “utter despair” by those trapped in the system. He was “not depressed” & felt that he left peaceful, and happy. “Death is final & absolute”, he said.

Dr. Allan Ooi was aware that he was causing pain to his family & friends by doing this. Later on in the letter, he said he was sorry for the pains he had caused to those around him, throughout his life, attributing it to “foolish pride” & follies.

How ironic. I do not doubt that he felt really sorry for his actions. But with his final action, wasn’t he causing more pain than he ever had before? Then, what’s the use of saying sorry?

His story is sad, yes. And it seems he was forced into a corner, with no way of escape. Perhaps, as a high-flier his whole life, with his natural intelligence, numerous gifts & talents, and likeability, he failed to learn one of the most important lessons of all. How to handle the difficult situations & to face the stress. How to persevere on through hardships. I’m sure that there’re people in worse-off situations than him, yet they choose to live & not escape through death.

My aunt was in EDB once, in a high-ranking position. She met many government scholars in the course of her career. Her one observation was that these scholars were incapable of handling failure & difficulties. Do they lead such charmed lives?  Or are they just used to everything going well for them?

Whatever it is, my heart goes out to Dr. Allan Ooi’s family, who my family knows personally. Perhaps it didn’t have to be this way. But what’s done is done. Hopefully the government & the SAF can re-look their policies & “free” the suffering people from the prison they think they’re in.

God bless.