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Thursday, January 22

Slamball, something new

As I've become a couch potato recently, I've found out a lot of fancy things in this world. Wao, just like the slogan of Discovery Channel, the world is really amazing! Among them, something that really triggered me to blog about is Slamball. Interesting enough, my bro also wanted to blog about it, just that I got the computer first. Lolx...

"Imagine a mash-up sport combining the best of basketball, football, hockey and gymnastics and you get slamball."

Does it intrigue you? Haha, let's find out what it is, shall we?

By the name itself tells you that it must somehow related with basketball. Indeed, it just seems to be another variation of basketball beside street ball and and1. But the concept goes a bit further, to create a combination of sports that approximated a real-life video game and was brought out by Mason Gordon. With some assistances, the first exhibition series was held in 2001 and since then, Slamball continues to thrive, though there is no international governing body for Slamball as a sport.

The Slamball court is not much different than a basketball court, just instead of hard surface like hardwood(indoor) and asphalt(outdoor), a bed of spring flooring is used to create a shock absorbent playing surface. Besides, a set of four trampoline is placed under both rims and the court is surrounded with an 8 ft (2.4 m) plexi-glass wall much like in a hockey rink.


Top viewWithout three-point line(added in later)
So that is the court. With the trampoline, everyone can reach an inhuman height so normally they slam to score. Just like basketball, almost without shooting and lay up. Each team contains four players and can divide into three different positions:
  • Handler: This would be the primary ball handler on the team. It is his job to run the offense and organize the other members while controlling the flow of the game. Typically he would be responsible to set up the gunners to attack the basket while adding in his own offensive threat.
  • Gunner: The primary scorer on the team. A team's gunner will be the player on the team that will attack the basket and finish plays against the opposing teams' stopper, comparable to a forward or wing player in soccer or hockey.
  • Stopper: This position is for the primary defensive player. He trails the offense only when necessary, and he protects the rim from attacking players by using himself as a shield. (equivalent to a goalkeeper)
A gunner(yellow) & a stopper(green)
Scoring methods also mainly follow basketball, a successful score can be worth two points if the ball is thrown through the hoop without the offensive player touching the hoop. Slam dunks are scored three points. All shots outside three-point arc are worth three points as well.
Like basketball, four quarters but each quarters only 5 minutes. Game started with a "bounce-off" at the center court and each offending team is given 20 seconds shot clock, which means a team can't hold the ball longer than 20 seconds to ensure the game is going on smoothly. Teams change ends for the second half. A tie score at the end of regulation time is settled by a series of "face offs".

Full body contact is allowed within certain limitations. A player can be hit or "checked" at any time when he is not in possession of the ball. If the player has received the ball, he cannot be hit until he dribbles the ball; at that point he is known as "live" or "hot" and can be hit. Players cannot be hit or checked in the back; doing so results in a foul.

Players will be fouled out if they commited three personal fouls in a game; two technical fouls (fighting, arguing vehemently against an official or any unsportmanlike conducts) results in disqualification. In the case a foul is called, the player who has committed the foul, will then take position on the baseline of the lower trampolines while the player who was offended will take up offensive position at center court. This is called a 'face-off'. Upon a signal from the referee the offensive player will be free to mount an attack at the basket, which the defender now must endeavor to stop. The defender must enter the lower trampoline only after bouncing in from the side trampoline. If the offensive player is successful, then points will be awarded depending on the shot converted and the offensive players' team will retain possession of the ball.

Hmm, i think that's all bout Slamball. Haha, as a basketball fans, this concept really burns me up again, wondering if I got a chance to try this. Yet, I still prefer basketball more than any thing else. But with the condition I am, it is really hard for me to play without worries.

By the way, I'm getting much better now, though bed time still remains some kind of disaster to me (can't find a comfortable position) and raining days make the pain worse. With the progression, most slightly I can get back to normal (write, wash up dishes and some light houseworks) in 2 or 3 more weeks, so still manage to go back to school in time but have to take my piano exam next march (thought that I will be free from it after this August).

p.s. will post my surgery experience next so stay tune!

Wednesday, January 21

Attention Please!

Hi peeps, not going to blog about the surgery in current situation, but there is something you surely don't want to miss. So, for those who have a penchant for music prick up your ears, oops! Should be open up your eyes...

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2009 年春天的第一场音乐会即将来临!
本地著名青少年、儿童合唱指挥兼女高音陈惠群老师将带领吉隆坡中华独中合唱团 (CHKL Choir) 爱韵合唱团(La Voce Choir) 泰雷嘉少年儿童合唱团(TTCC) 为大家带来《东声.西乐—当陆在易遇见John Rutter》演唱会。除了陈老师,届时也将由我国著名合唱指挥周扬平老师及林福祥老师担任指挥。

为了在合唱表演艺术上寻求突破,此次演唱会将融合东西方两种不同的文化及曲风,演唱中国著名作曲家陆在易(LZYi)及英国著名作曲家约翰.卢特(JRutter) 的作品,希望透过不同的声音色彩让观众们能从中感受文化差异中却又和谐的风貌。

21-02-2009 7.30pm 雪兰莪精武体育会礼堂
28-02-2009 7.30pm 巴生兴华中学朝阳堂

**团体购票优惠:任买十张票券将获免费成人票一张

The Spring Choral Concert is COMING!
Our local renowned choir conductor and Soprano vocalist, Ms Tang Hui Kung will be leading Chong Hwa KL Independent High Shool Choir (CHKL Choir), La Voce Choir and Tarrega Teenage and Children’s Choir (TTCC) to present you with a range of songs from the well-known composers, John Rutter (English Composer) and LuZaiYi (Chinese Composer). We would like to take this opportunity to take you on a musical journey to experience the culture of the East and the West which blends perfectly together in music.

Other than Ms Tang, the noted local choir conductors Mr Chew Hock Ping and Mr Lim Hock Siong will also be conducting the concert.

21-02-2009 7.30pm Stadium Chinwoo Selangor & Kuala Lumpur
28-02-2009 7.30pm Hin Hwa High School Klang Zhao Yang Hall

**Group's Bonus:Buy any 10 Tickets and Get 1 FREE Adult Ticket

Copyright © 2009 《东声。西乐---当陆在易遇见John Rutter》演唱会. All Rights Reserved.

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Great concert like this you wouldn't want to miss right? Leave me a comment if you're going, so we can enjoy this together. Well, for more information click here . Hey, what you waiting for? Get the ticket now

Monday, January 12

Lousy management

Wondering if wi-fi is available now in hospital? DEFINITELY NOT!
I'm blogging in my house now, instead of watching HBO in hospital.

If you ask me what happened, the terrible management should be blamed. Gosh, no room for me?! Isn't everything confirmed last week? Yet they asked me to keep on waiting till they managed to find vacant room and the point is they got no idea how long it will take. Hello, 2 hours of waiting isn't short and we are not born to wait for the admission! Why are we bearing your consequences of poor management? That isn't the worst part though. My dad requested to send me over tomorrow morning for the operation and you know what they told him? We will still charge you for today's fee. Wtf... Are you all robbers? Is better still if you ask each and everyone who enter the premise to pay, fastest way to become rich. One word for the managers, SUCKS! Go back and study your management!

By the way, operation will be at 11am tommorrow and will last for 2 hours. Thanks for those who plan to pay me a visit, but try not to la. The hospital is already congested. Lolx... Oh ya, though it is far away from us, let's pray for the Palestinian.


Friday, January 9

Get well soon

Kinda shocked when I read Jia's blog and found out Yean met an car accident this morning. Hey, it happened on Monday and now only I know it? Should have told me earlier right?

I'm not updated with blow-by-blow description of the accident but as far as I'm concern, Yean and his dad were traveling on motorcycle when a fast-coming car tried to take over another car and then... Well, no idea what happened next but the fact is they both injured, even the rim of the car in front of them flew out. Yet, the worst is that the fellow hit and run! Darn! Yean's daddy injured badly, his leg and hand were both fractured while Yean got cuts all over his body. Unlike his dad who is still in hospital now, he will recover after some rest. Thanks God!

He reminded me of Yong Jian who fell down from motorcycle last month. Tried to contact him but failed so don't know how is he now. Been some times since we last met.

And back to myself, will be on my "3-days-2-nights special holiday" from 12 Jan to 14 Jan. Well, the only companion there will be the idiot box. Hopefully HBO will have some nice movie on board during this period, or else I might be bored to death.

CNY is just around the corner. This year might not be able to go around to visit you guys like what we did last year, though I will still miss you all! As I might not be able to blog after the operation, might as well greet all of you Happy Chinese New Year and have a properous year! Take care ya!

p.s. Those who are in injury list get well soon ya! ('',)
p.s. For those who are driving now, be a safety driver, better late than never; be considering and think of you
r love one

Wednesday, January 7

Journey of A Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step

The longest title that I ever used.

Well, my prior motivation to write this post was to encourage my lovely friend who is not really good in English and looking for a hand to finish her English homework, (bear in mind that I don't intend to offend you, my apologies if it annoys you) but later I found it useful in any other aspects too.

Again, I strongly emphasize that I'm not being haughty or what. As you all can see, my English doesn't sound good as well, there are still loads of grammar mistakes, using inappropriate words, etc... So, please don't get me wrong.

Many of us from Chinese school (including me) seem to share a common problem: poor English. Of course, there are also a lot of English experts and the reason they are good either because they go for tuition or they read a lot. Again, I'm not criticizing our English teachers are useless. I believe they are good teachers and they really make an attempt to teach us. But the problem is learning languages aren't just listening to your teacher, you have to read more, write more, listen as well as speak more! Everyone knows this fact, but how many of us follow it?

Sad to say that our education system is really a failure comparing to our neighbour, Singapore. Isn't it amusing to have subjects like science and maths in both Chinese and English? I don't see any point here except giving the small kids Shao Lin's style training, the only different is we are using overweight bags instead of two buckets of water. I mean why cant you just bracket up the special terms in different language beside it? It really doesn't help a lot in improving our English!

Back to my personal example, my parents did send me to tuition since I was young. I attended phonics class, I went to Mrs Tham's tuition(Mandy's and Grace's mom, those from FCT will know who) during my primary school. But I didn't pay attention. Shame on me. My parents did send me to tuition when I was in secondary school but guess what? I skipped them. Played truant, and even urged my bro together, thinking English wasn't important for me, I'm studying in Chong Hwa what. (Better don't think so, else you'll end up like me.) You will never know how frustrated when they found out, and I would never forget their faces mingled with anger and disappointment. Shame on me once more! Due to all these, my basics are really weak, even though now. Don't ask me what adverb, nouns, pronouns, gerund are all about, cause I can hardly answer.

Despite text books, I hardly read a page during my secondary school. Exaggerated? Nope. I just started reading after I finished UEC, end of 2007. Yeah, my turning point. Thanks a lot to my x-gf who wonderfully overturned my life. I still recall that she borrowed me the book "Who moved my Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson. Her English is good, at least better than me and in order to chase her, I decided to brush up my English. (She's same school with me). So, she motivated me. Thanks a thousand times over! Kinda sad that we are no longer in contact, which really put me into depression. From that on, I started to read. Checked almost every single word that new to me. Of course it was really painful to check the dictionary every few lines but I really learned a lot. Although I can't remember all the words I have come across, more or less I did improve. As proverb says, yard-by-yard life is mighty hard, inch-by-inch life is a cinch, so long that you read, you gain. Agree?

Besides, I took my younger sis's primary books to learn grammar. Hard to imagine a 18-year-old teenage asking a 12-year-old girl to teach him grammar? It's earthly true. God has teaches me to be humble, and he gives me the courage to overcome the so called shame. It did hurt when my sis said 'huh? You don't know this?' but I rather let her laugh than to lose a job in future. Appreciate her patience as well as my bro. See, you have nothing to lose but gaining everything by humbling yourself! So why not?

A friend of mine asked me how do I improve my English and I told her exactly what I am telling you now. Read and read and read. Then she said she doesn't know what to read. It's really ridiculous when your daddy is reading The Star, your sister buys Reader Digest and your dad bought you some books regarding business which are also in English yet you say I don't know how to improve my English. Again, I'm not trying to offend you. If I did, sorry. What I'm trying to say is make use of what you have. Don't just keep on saying that you want to improve but no action is taken. You can even read some well-written blogs, honestly I do not recommend mine cause I am still doubting my grammar. Highly recommend you to read Kennyasia.com, which I just discovered few days ago.

I did struggle if I should post this because it really sounds like acting pro. But in the end I decided to do so because I want to tell you all if a nuts like me can do this, you definitely can do this also. So, don't hesitate anymore. So happened that new year just passed not long ago, jot this down on your new year resolution- start reading. It is never too late to learn.

Tuesday, January 6

Sense of falling

Did you ever experience such feelings? As if you were in seventh heaven for awhile but in a jiffy, you feel like hell? Yeah, I just experienced it once more few hours ago.

You might be wondering what had happened right? Was it that I lost my lottery ticket when it appeared to be the 1st prize? Or other lame situations? Definitely not. Well, as I had mentioned in the post "Holiday", I had applied for internship in Deloitte and KPMG last month and was rejected by KPMG but heard nothing from the former. Days and days I checked my mailbox and looked forward to a positive reply from Deloitte, and just when the thought of being thrown out crept in my mind, I answered a big call.

BIG CALL. Call that I had longing for.

7.05pm, while I'm immersed in Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire. Bought it ages ago, primary school if I'm not wrong.

D = Deloitte J = me

D : Hello, is this Jia Chek?
J : Yeah, may I know who's on the line?
D : This is Ms. xxx from Deloitte...

J : Pardon?!
D : This is Ms. xxx from Deloitte and we have received your application for internship. So, are you still available?

J : Yeah, I'm really interested. Erm... but... Erm... I'm currently not in a good shape and have to undergo operation next week...
D : Oh...
J : So... Can I just... well, work from end of this month?
D : Erm, sorry cause we need people now.

J : ...
D : Or perhaps you can try next intake.
J : Issit? When is it?
D : Ongoing, so just send us your CV when you wish to.
J : Hmm, okay then. Thx...

D : Welcome.


Basically that was the conversation. embroidered a tad though.


Deloitte wei! Internship in one of the BIG 4 I might learn a lot and experience something great, something totally different! Further more, so far I did nothing practical in accountancy and this would be the chance for me to discover more, as well as getting a better future. But, all these just evaporated; all the hard work I did were in vain due to this injury.

The feeling of being accepted was really put me on cloud nine, but... Sigh...
Just like what Alvin said, Char Siew in your mouth but you can't eat it... Well, I deserve it, don't I? If I had listened to my parents, the end result would have just turned out another way round. What to do? Don't think there will still a second chance for me, because my result has fallen beyond the criterion.

Sigh
...