English Matters

On seeing a friend's status post

2011-04-22T22:43:00.000+08:00

From Henry David Thoreau

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion."

"A perfectly healthy sentence, it is true, is extremely rare. For the most part we miss the hue and fragrance of the thought; as if we could be satisfied with the dews of the morning or evening without their colors, or the heavens without their azure."

"In human intercourse the tragedy begins, not when there is misunderstanding about words, but when silence is not understood."

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

Found on the wall in a hospital

2011-04-20T19:57:00.002+08:00

Hello 2011

2011-04-10T18:59:00.000+08:00

I reckon it's a little late to be saying "Hello!" to 2011. Please pardon my tardiness but I've been busy at work.

Here I am, fighting the flu and trying to get some rest. It's been an insane year so far, and it has been challenging and meaningful in many ways. I'm trying out new things and reading up a lot.

In short, this year, so far, has been amazing. Will blog again soon!

A lot

2010-11-13T18:37:00.001+08:00

A site with witty excerpts. The comic below.. Oh, how true!

Taken from http://theoatmeal.com/.

Girls' Generation

2010-07-31T11:47:00.000+08:00

This is rather random, but I actually do enjoy listening to this song. Yes, the themes and messages presented in the MTV are certainly questionable.

On another note, I may be holidaying in Korea at the end of the year so that certainly is something to look forward to!

Word Tasting by Sarah Wardle

2010-07-18T20:36:00.000+08:00

First agitate the word in your glass,
swilling it around anti-clockwise
to let the air into the language.

Tilt the glass against the tablecloth.
Notice the colour. Is this word golden
or brick-red? Does the nose remind you

of freshly-mown grass or tropical fruit?
Is the word smoky or woody on the palate?
Do the syllables have a long aftertaste?

Has the word been aged? Do you like it?
Now try this. It is a controversial word,
the oldest vintage known to man. The seeds

can be used to grow this word in Europe
or the New World. Each climate gives
the word a different flavour. It's versatile,

easily turned into language. Growers love it
across the financial spectrum. Many find
this word smooth and buttery, fruity and ripe.

They say it is an alpha word, their favourite.
Some drink it early and often, others will
store it in their cellars for drinking later.

Then again, still others find the word bitter
and acidic, screwing up their faces, saying
it reminds them of cat's pee on gooseberry bushes.

There's no accounting for taste. Make up
your own mind. What does it remind you of?
In the beginning the label said God.

Prayer

2010-06-12T12:28:00.002+08:00

Do take the picture with a pinch of salt as it may come across as being rather offensive. I thought the artwork was kinda cute.

A very cool ad by Art Snob Solutions

2010-06-12T12:20:00.003+08:00

It's been a while since I last posted but I was clearing up my desktop when I came across this picture.
Brand: Software-asli.com software reseller
Advertising Agency : Bates141, Jakarta, Indonesia
Creative director : Hendra lesmono
Art Directors : Andreas Junus, Irawandhani Kamarga
Copywriter : Darrick Subrata
Photographer : Anton Ismael

Tres cool. Do check out their page on Flickr.

Strawberry Generation

2010-04-02T22:56:00.003+08:00

I remember coming across the following when I was in Secondary School.

"Lord, make us not like porridge:
Sticky and hard to stir.
Make us like cornflakes:
Easy to stir and ready to serve."

When I googled it, the following grace showed up in the search engine.

"Lord, make us to be, not like cornflakes:
Noisy, superficial, and cold;
But like porridge:
Sturdy, warm, and comforting."

This comes after reading the following article.

In a jam over strawberries
by lynyi@mediacorp.com.sg Chung Lyn-yi
05:55 AM Mar 27, 2010

After a grand total of two days on the job as a graphic designer, one of my friends called it quits. She was ticked off at being asked numerous times to photocopy large piles of artwork and decided it was not what she had signed up for.

This was hardly a testament to the tenacity she spoke of in her resume. It also puzzled and disturbed those of us who got wind of it, not least because it served as a juicy tidbit for those who have labelled my peers the "Strawberry Generation".

The term, made popular by Taiwanese media a few years back, refers to young adults born in the '80s into sheltered environments. Like the fruit, they are easily crushed under pressure, especially when it comes from marginally hard labour.

In essence, these people fancy themselves as the cream of the crop. But come crunch time, they more often than not get creamed.

A headhunter friend of mine says she has encountered many of these spoilt "strawberries", along with some berry bad behaviour. Some take multiple MCs within the first few days of their jobs. Others sulk daringly at their superiors, with outrageous, diva lines such as "Listen, even my own mother doesn't scold me this way!"

One bad apple, or strawberry in this case, does not spoil the bunch. And having a terrible upbringing certainly spans across all ages. But her account got me thinking about generational stereotypes and to what extent they hold true.

I am aware that '80s kids, or "Generation Y" as we are known, get a lot of flak. (This is even though we survived psychedelic and spandex fashions from that era like everyone else older than us.)

We are at best seen as articulate, assertive and goal-oriented. By the same token, we are at worst whiny, demanding and impatient.

For example, if things are not progressing fast enough in terms of recognition and pay, some feel the urge to switch jobs after a year or two.

With firms doling out annual performance bonus cheques over the next few months, I can name a few friends with one foot out the door, ready to speed up their corporate climb.

Some unabashedly declare that they need to do this to fulfil visions of being CEO one day. I am not sure if this will be a job-hop, skip and a jump away, but one of my pals has already become an assistant vice-president at age 27.

As a buddy, I think: More power to them for chasing their ambitions. To others grappling with a high turnover rate though, it can make for a bad track record.

"Your generation wants to be movers and shakers," said one of my older friends, with an eye-roll. "I see a lot of moving around, but that's it. They will go nowhere without experience."

In her opinion, the notion of experience seems to count less with my batch. There is the suspicion that we think we should advance quickly, without paying our dues. Much as I feel maligned from the sweeping generalisation, I can see why she would think so.

Having been brought up on a diet of technology, Generation Y appears to have a culture of shortcuts. We often turn to the all-knowing Internet for answers, and network thrice as fast with new media tools such as Facebook and instant messaging.

Still, some of us may be paying unfairly for the few strawberries in our fields. And we have plenty of stories of not being taken seriously because of age.

I have been asked rather bluntly by seniors at important meetings: "Why are you here?" My common response is a hapless grin, given that few answers would not sound snarky. And note that trying to dress "older" does not help in dodging such questions.

This "strawberry" tag may make us ripe for the picking on, but there is little else to do but keep at it, and hope our work eventually speaks louder than we do.

And when that happens, it would be just peachy.

The writer is a senior producer at Channel NewsAsia.

The Dragon Book of Verse

2010-01-31T16:42:00.005+08:00

I bought this book yesterday and found this particular poem rather interesting.

Love the imagery and the sound devices.

Am savouring it slowly, on top of two other books I've bought. :)

Five Ways to Kill a Man by Edwin Brock

There are many cumbersome ways to kill a man.
You can make him carry a plank of wood
to the top of a hill and nail him to it.
To do this properly you require a crowd of people
wearing sandals, a cock that crows, a cloak
to dissect, a sponge, some vinegar and one
man to hammer the nails home.

Or you can take a length of steel,
shaped and chased in a traditional way,
and attempt to pierce the metal cage he wears.
But for this you need white horses,
English trees, men with bows and arrows,
at least two flags, a prince, and a
castle to hold your banquet in.

Dispensing with nobility, you may, if the wind
allows, blow gas at him. But then you need
a mile of mud sliced through with ditches,
not to mention black boots, bomb craters,
more mud, a plague of rats, a dozen songs
and some round hats made of steel.

In an age of aeroplanes, you may fly
miles above your victim and dispose of him by
pressing one small switch. All you then
require is an ocean to separate you, two
systems of government, a nation's scientists,
several factories, a psychopath and
land that no-one needs for several years.

These are, as I began, cumbersome ways to kill a man.
Simpler, direct, and much more neat is to see
that he is living somewhere in the middle
of the twentieth century, and leave him there.

An advert from SPCA

2010-01-30T10:17:00.003+08:00

More interesting signs

2010-01-18T02:28:00.001+08:00

The things you can find at a park.

The things you can find at Daiso.

2010

2010-01-15T19:30:00.004+08:00

2010 is going to prove an interesting year for me because apart from teaching, I'll be learning and trying out new things! :) For example, I got a taste of the yummy fruit tarts from Fruits Paradise!
Congratulations to the students from my former 2H class for getting good results. Continue to strive hard and remember to spare a little time for a gathering in June!

There will be many events and activities coming up so keep those seat belts buckled for the ride!

Frank the Daschund

2009-12-30T22:09:00.001+08:00

This was a gift from a dear colleague of mine and it reminds me very much of my two doggy puffs at home. :)

Early X'mas gift

2009-12-22T09:11:00.003+08:00

This year, I received a lovely gift (or should I say gifts?). Hi everyone, meet:

Frisky...

... and Dot.

An afternoon nap

2009-12-19T13:31:00.000+08:00

Quick thoughts on Social Media No. 1

2009-12-19T11:15:00.000+08:00

We all know about Web 2.0.

I came across a news article about Shellie Ross, a 38-year-old stay-at-home mother and military wife posting a message asking that people pray for her son after he had fallen into the family's swimming pool on Monday.

Her nick on Twitter is Military Mom and her blog address is blog4mom.com.

She was flamed by other twitters and bloggers for tweeting while her son's life was in danger.

She has lashed out at the media, clarified doubts and misunderstandings, and has also asked people to leave her family to mourn in peace.

IMO, there is no such thing as privacy when it comes to the Internet and it's accompanying applications. The media is a powerful tool that can influence and bring about change. It can also destroy lives. Have you ever blogged irresponsibly? Have you ever twittered about something or someone in anger? This incident definitely serves as a reminder for me.

I am sorry for her loss.

'09 Nov & Dec movies I've caught

2009-12-19T00:15:00.002+08:00

I've caught the following in the past month.

Julie and Julia
An Education
Bodyguards and Assassins

I'm hoping to catch Avatar and Sherlock Holmes and I can't wait for Christmas! :)

Have you made your new year resolutions yet?

A little joke

2009-12-16T12:48:00.001+08:00

I spotted this on my friend's Facebook and thought it too funny to not share.

A hamster and a rat were sitting on the side of a swimming pool. They were enjoying the sun. Suddenly the rat turned to the hamster and asked him:

"Hey, how come people consider me a nuisance, and you a pet? How come people pay money to have you, while they are trying to kill me? How come you are considered a cute little animal, while I am considered creepy and disgusting? How come you live in a warm home, and I have to stay in the sewer?"

And the hamster replied:

"It’s branding, dude."

Refreshrooms

2009-12-09T15:31:00.002+08:00

I have heard of rest rooms... but refreshrooms? This was taken at a nearby petrol station.

Still busy!

2009-12-02T21:46:00.002+08:00

Tres cool videos

2009-11-08T10:11:00.002+08:00

Honda Let It Shine

Wario Land: Shake It

Love the page effects!

Last Week of School 2009

2009-11-01T00:05:00.003+08:00

Work is always challenging.

Twas the bee that got me last week.

New shirt + 3 movies

We're 1 year older!

2009-10-15T18:58:00.002+08:00

Love the effects of tilt-shift and HDR. :)

Everyday life would be cooler with sound effects!

2009-10-13T10:01:00.001+08:00

I am now a proud owner of this shirt! :)

Julie & Julia

2009-10-11T10:11:00.004+08:00

Caught this last night and I enjoyed a whole lot, given the nature of the subject(s).

Two women trying to find themselves through culinary adventures.

I'm inspired! Ooh, I feel hungry now. Check out the links below.

Julie Powell's blog
The official website (with pretty interesting links!)

Bon appétit!

A sugary message

2009-09-26T23:11:00.003+08:00

I had a Avocado Coffee at Bengawan Solo today and decided to leave the staff a message in gula melaka ink. :) Of late, and apart from work, I've been practising on my writing skills via process writing. They've degraded.

A Saturday afternoon with Dr. Seuss

2009-09-09T07:55:00.002+08:00

Took a shot of this interesting quote found on the flyer that came with the Times privilege card. :)

An E-Card and a teacher's prayer

2009-09-08T10:37:00.009+08:00

I thought this was really cute. I think this is also what matters. Some teachers would rather receive notes with a personal touch than receive a ton of gifts with no relevance. A lot of us would love reading or hearing funny anecdotes about what goes on in our classes (and especially when we don't realise it). Thank you YW (who's also one-half of the preying mantis duo)! :)

a.nec.dote |ˈanikˌdōt| noun
a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person : told anecdotes about his job | he had a rich store of anecdotes.

It originated in the late 17th century from two main sources: French, or via modern Latin from Greek anekdota ‘things unpublished,’ from an- ‘not’ + ekdotos, from ekdidōnai ‘publish.’

Taken from Homegrown Hospitality

This term has been somewhat trying. I worry about the EOY exams that are drawing near too. I am worried for my girls. It is their first time tackling so many subjects at one go. Some of the girls I teach have noticed that I sigh whenever I open up my laptop. I sigh even more when it appears to me that some of the girls think that we dislike and are out to get them just because we reprimand them. In return, we are disliked for the job we are trying to do. We get slimed on blogs, on little pieces of paper that are passed along during lessons, and whenever the girls just feel like saying something. We don't say anything in our defence, and the rumour gets passed along. We all know how negativity travels much further than positive thoughts and words. If you were in our shoes, how would you feel?

This is why experience makes all the difference and we all have much to learn. I always marvel at teachers who have been in the service for a much longer period than I have been. They have the wisdom and tenacity that I hope that I too will gain in years to come.

One of the boys that I taught two years ago contacted me recently. He has grown up into a fine young man. I still owe the bunch of them cups of coffee.

Will also use the break to hunt down another student who I taught three years ago. She's in hiding! Another student has taken up nursing and I'm pleasantly surprised because I never expected her to. :)

District 9

2009-09-03T17:30:00.004+08:00

A tad too gory for my liking, but there's no wonder as to why it's a sleeper hit. I wish Alice in Wonderland would come around soon.

(Ice) Skating Sunday

2009-08-30T18:17:00.002+08:00

Thank you for a lovely morning, J and T! :)
Such an old sport, but so much fun!

Stanley Kubrick, interesting quote

2009-08-29T09:37:00.002+08:00

Question: "If life is so purposeless, do you feel that it's worth living?"

Answer: "Yes, for those of us who manage somehow to cope with our mortality. The very meaninglessness of life forces man to create his own meaning. Children, of course, begin life with an untarnished sense of wonder, a capacity to experience total joy at something as simple as the greenness of a leaf; but as they grow older, the awareness of death and decay begins to impinge on their consciousness and subtly erode their joy de vivre, their idealism - and their assumption of immortality. As a child matures, he sees death and pain everywhere about him, and begins to lose faith in faith and in the ultimate goodness of man. But, if he is reasonably strong - and lucky - he can emerge from this twilight of the soul into a rebirth of life's elan. Both because of and in spite of his awareness of the meaninglessness of life, he can forge a fresh sense of purpose and affirmation. He may not recapture the same pure sense of wonder he was born with, but he can shape something far more enduring and sustaining. The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile, but that it is indifferent; but if we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death - however mutable man may be able to make them - our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light."

Wanderlust

2009-08-29T08:35:00.002+08:00

wan.der.lust |ˈwändərˌləst| noun
a strong desire to travel : a man consumed by wanderlust.

Wanderlust is a loanword from German to English that designates a strong desire for or impulse to wander, or, in modern usage, to travel and to explore the world.

Etymology

The word came into English in 1875 or 1902 as a reflection of what was then seen as a characteristically German predilection for wandering that may be traced back to German romanticism and the German system of apprenticeship.

The term forms from the German words wandern (to hike) and Lust (desire). The term wandern is frequently misused as a false cognate, it in fact does not mean "to wander", but rather "to hike." Placing the two words together translates to "to enjoy hiking", although is commonly described as an enjoyment of strolling or wandering.

In German the term has become somewhat obsolete. A more contemporary equivalent for the English wanderlust in the sense of "love of travel" would be Fernweh (literally "an ache for the distance").

The initial letter of the term is always capitalized in German ("Wanderlust") but usually written in lower case in English ("wanderlust").

Whale Poo

2009-08-28T17:31:00.003+08:00

I decided to take a little break from marking the other day and decided to hunt for some facts about whale poo. Yes, it's random, but it's a nugget and it proves that my brain still works! I shared the following with the girls from 1-1.

I have to admit that this term has been a rather trying one. I have let my temper flare, albeit unintentionally. Sigh. I need to work at this. Pooh. Hope all of you fared better than me. :)

Ahhh!!!

2009-08-19T17:09:00.002+08:00

1st Week of August 2009

2009-08-10T10:40:00.003+08:00

Of the four shows I watched last week, I enjoyed watching Pixar's Up the most. I felt that Food, Inc. was educational and provided some food for thought whereas Sing Dollar and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare were purely for entertainment, IMHO.

I'm a fan of free online editing tools/software. This collage was made using Picture2Life.

Nobody

2009-07-22T19:16:00.001+08:00

This song was popular when it first came out last year and it's still popular now.

Help Charmaine

2009-07-12T00:19:00.000+08:00

Elmo

2009-07-10T15:25:00.001+08:00

This was just too cute to not post. :)

July - Literature Month

2009-06-16T12:45:00.003+08:00

There will be many things going on in the month of July. I'm really excited!

National Schools Literature Festival 2009

Lit Up Singapore 2009: Young Readers and Writers Festival

Da Vinci - The Genius

2009-06-16T12:42:00.003+08:00

Mentioned this a few weeks ago.

I went to the exhibition yesterday and loved it. :)

Home by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

2009-06-07T10:31:00.001+08:00

Watch Home here.

Comfort foods

2009-06-06T19:32:00.004+08:00

Korean Banchan

Ramen with Chicken and Kimchi

Yuja-cha (Citron tea)

Red Wine Ginger Chicken with Mee Sua

I heart instant noodles, kway tiao and mee sua.

What I've watched

2009-05-24T07:39:00.003+08:00

I caught the former with the girls on Thursday and the latter with other teachers on Friday. I was amazed to realise that the person playing one of the main characters in Fairytaleheart was a friend I got to know during my Uni days. Much Ado About Nothing was good. I was, however, intrigued by the blending in of local culture.
I grew up watching the tele-series of this and I remembered practising the Vulcan salute many times when I was younger. Needless to say, I really enjoyed the movie. Ooh, X-Men Origins: Wolverine was pretty cool too.

2009 Term 2 Week 7

2009-05-09T17:03:00.003+08:00

The week has been rather eventful.

Leonardo da Vinci Exhibition

2009-05-06T01:15:00.002+08:00

SOP II and Common Tests

2009-05-02T00:12:00.002+08:00

According to what I've heard, SOP II was a huge success! And now that SOP's over, it's on to the common tests! All the best! :)

Not many skies like this

2009-04-25T14:16:00.002+08:00

I took this when I was about to leave for school a few days ago.

The (temporary) stage has been set.

2009-04-25T11:09:00.003+08:00

I'm excited!

Cats, The Musical and Cookie Museum

2009-04-19T13:39:00.005+08:00

I liked the dancing and choreography, but my friends and I felt that there wasn't much of a plot, and it was visually overwhelming. Guess it didn't help that we were all rather low on our energy levels.

The cookies from the Cookie Museum are delish! Or rather, according to the loved ones, they are. :)

Symphony of Praise 2

2009-04-18T10:08:00.002+08:00

:) The D'Arts Dance girls did well for their SYF judging this year. Four performing groups down, five left to go. Have you bought your Symphony of Praise 2 tickets yet?

Sushi and Pasta

2009-04-12T10:16:00.004+08:00

Makizushi
(lit. rolled 'it is sour')
Smoked Salmon, Mango, Avocado, Japanese Cucumber

More information can be found here.

Pasta
(Italian for 'dough')
Bacon, Olives, Mushrooms, Sausages, Pine Nuts,
Chili, Garlic, Onion, Lime Juice, Basil, Olive Oil
More information can be found here.

2009 Term 2

2009-04-10T18:04:00.005+08:00

I went to the ACM with the girls from 1-4 yesterday.

Term 2 has been such a horrid one! There has been a lot of disruption to lessons and I don't like it one bit.

We're all bunnies in a flurry!

However, when I do get the time to stop and observe the girls, I am reminded of why I became a teacher. I learn new things just by watching them interact and react to situations and each other, be it negatively or positively.

Thank you for being an inspiration, girls. :)

The D'Arts Dance girls will be down for their rehearsal tomorrow and the judging will take place next Wednesday. Please keep them in your prayers!

Methodist Walk 2009

2009-04-05T12:21:00.005+08:00

The united 1-5 girls at ACS (I) on 28th March 2009.

Two plays and a dog

2009-04-05T12:15:00.004+08:00

What I watched the previous weekend

The mess Ruby got herself into on Wednesday morning

Fast and Furious 4

2009-04-04T23:41:00.003+08:00

Fast cars - what's there not to like?

April Fools' Day 2009

2009-04-01T19:46:00.003+08:00

Just thought I'd post a little shout-out to my 1-1A English Band girls for being such good sports. We had English before chapel and the girls from 1-1 and 1-2 really chipped in in helping me to give the girls from 1-3 a little scare. Good acting, girls! The 1-3 girls are so good-natured that they took everything in their stride. :) And that is something that deserves to be praised.

Hort Park on 22 March

2009-03-29T11:36:00.004+08:00

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." - Job 12:7-10

Henderson Waves

2009-03-21T13:37:00.002+08:00

Photos don't always do justice to Nature.

My Uni Days

2009-03-19T11:38:00.005+08:00

Yahoo Briefcase is closing down and I decided to download all my documents for keeps. I chanced upon the following and it brought back a lot of fond memories.

The web banner I designed for Funkygrad.com.

The logo that I designed.Us on duty for FIC 2003. I was one of the emcees for FIC 2004.

I also came across many of the papers I did while I was in Uni. Sigh. I miss being a student.

Pet Society on Facebook

2009-03-16T21:31:00.003+08:00

Hi everyone, meet my pet. He looks rather spiffy, doesn't he? :)

1-5 English Band and 2-3 '09

2009-03-16T21:00:00.003+08:00

I took this snapshot of the girls when they were all somewhat distracted on the last day of school in Term 1. This explains why most of them are not covering their faces. Thank goodness!

I also took a photo with Michelle from 2-3 when I attended their class outing (for a short while) that same evening. It's so nice to be able to take pictures with and of students who aren't camera shy! I was also immensely impressed with the way the girls from 2-3 went around inviting their teachers (present and ex-). They were enthusiastic and polite and it warmed my heart to see most of them present at the gathering. :)

I really hope there'll be more photo-taking opportunities in Term 2!

Marley & Me and Watchmen

2009-03-13T00:15:00.004+08:00

It has been an eventful week! Over the past 7 days, I took a walk at Labrador Park and MacRitchie Reservoir, cycled at East Coast Park, watched a game of bridge in play and caught Marley and Me and Watchmen. I preferred the former because the latter was oddly presented and it was also too bloody and gory for my liking.

I'm really excited about catching the following plays/musicals in the next couple of months: A Winter's Tale (starring Ethan Hawke!), The Importance of Being Earnest, Cats and A Midsummer Night's Dream @ Fort Canning.

Even though the holidays are coming up, and despite all the work that needs to be done, I say "Rock on girls!" :) It's always good to stay positive. :)

A quote from Reader's Digest March 2009

2009-02-28T09:55:00.003+08:00

I enjoyed reading this month's Reader's Digest and a particular quote I came across while reading really struck me.

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
- Plato

It certainly is food for thought.

Miss GSH

2009-02-28T09:38:00.005+08:00

A week ago, I emceed at an event with a junior of mine from secondary school. We got a chance to take a picture with someone who made a difference in my life. I'm eternally grateful. I hold her in high regard and she definitely has my respect.

Here's a little something that came up from our conversation: "Our children are like strawberries."

He's Just Not That Into You

2009-02-28T09:35:00.002+08:00

Caught this movie last night with a few friends. It was alright. The company was tons better. :)

Nintendogs

2009-02-23T15:12:00.003+08:00

I was recently introduced to Otter, a beagle that resides in my friend's Nintendo DS. Otter is a Nintendog. That same friend, upon visiting me the other day, exclaimed at how Ronny and Ruby resemble Nintendogs in real life! I've just finished giving them a bath and they smell nice. :)

The other game I'm currently into is Animal Crossing and my character is getting a new roof! :)

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-23T01:01:00.000+08:00

Caught this on Saturday with a friend, and I'm glad I did because it was REALLY good.

Post Valentine's Day and Common Test Period

2009-02-20T02:56:00.000+08:00

Many thanks to the girls who gave me chocolates and flowers. I was really touched.

I caught Benjamin Button as well as Chestnuts' Dark Knuts: Welcome to Avenue Quantum - over the weekend and I thought they were pretty good. The latter was slightly slapstick though. I should be going for Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest by WILD RICE in March.

I hope all of you are doing alright despite the hectic period. Study hard for your remaining tests! :)

A V-Day thought.

2009-02-11T15:04:00.004+08:00

This photo was taken from istockphotocom.

Most of us know that Valentine's Day is drawing near. It is definitely not uncommon to find stores filled with shelves of pricey, lousy chocolates and candies these days. Or worse, tacky, bright red and shocking pink hearts existing in all forms, shapes and sizes. They've been on display since January and throughout the entire Lunar New Year period.

For the ones who are none the wiser, this is known as commercialism. Yes, it certainly has its drawbacks, but it also has other effects: everyone becomes aware that Valentine's Day exists. For couples, it serves to remind them of the need to insert an element of romance into their lives, but do singles really need to be reminded that they are not in a relationship, or that they are alone?

Well, fret not! It is only one day out of the whole year. You can spend it with the people you love, be it your boyfriend or girlfriend, BFF, mother, father, sibling or anybody else that's important to you. You can use it to reach out and show someone that you care. You don't need to be in a relationship to celebrate it or do something special. Spend some quality time with your sister baking brownies or playing a card game or watch a romantic comedy, for example, the upcoming "New In Town" starring Renee Zellweger (Girls from my English classes would have heard about her.), "He's Just Not That Into You" or "Marley and Me" with your best friend!

Most importantly, take the time to tell other people how much they mean to you and remember to have fun!

Lactaid Dreams

2009-02-04T10:01:00.006+08:00

Lactaid (noun): any of a group of enzymes (trade name Lactaid) that hydrolyze lactose to glucose and galactose

According to Design Boom, "kozydan is an LA based team known for their digital illustrations of urban panoramas and re-interpretations of japanese prints". I'm excited because their first attempt to publish a book, a colouring book entitled Lactaid Dreams, is on its way to my house! :)

Lights at a favourite makan place

2009-02-01T23:51:00.010+08:00

GOOD.IS

2009-01-30T01:51:00.000+08:00

I chanced upon this site yesterday while surfing the internet for my daily intake of good reads and it's brilliant. Check it out here!

The Places We Live

2009-01-29T19:08:00.003+08:00

I chatted with some of the 2-8 girls today and was informed that I've not been updating my blog. So, here I am! Check out The Places We Live, a project by Magnum photographer Jonas Bendiksen. :) It reminds me somewhat of Miniature Earth.

Happy Chinese New Year 2009!

2009-01-24T12:38:00.003+08:00

I'm really grateful for the four day break we have this time round because once school starts again, it's going to be one heck of a roller-coaster ride!

I like the bag that we receive every year as a gift from the school during the Chinese New Year period. It's definitely a novel idea!

Because I was clued in on the dates, here's wishing a happy but belated 13th birthday to Isabel from 1.5 and Sophia from 1.2. :)

Many thanks for the oranges and handmade greetings from the rest too!

Take good care of yourself girls. Don't eat too much junk food and load up on fluids (not sweetened drinks) please! Remember to get an ample amount of rest and do a little bit of revision if it's possible for you to do so!

Sign on Sentosa

2009-01-18T13:11:00.001+08:00

I burst out laughing when I saw this. :)

Sentosa and other thoughts

2009-01-18T09:39:00.005+08:00

I spent a nice, quiet afternoon at Sentosa. The last time I was there was in 2008 with the Secondary 1s. I remember taking public transport back to school with 1.6 '08.As each new year goes into full swing, I find myself thinking a lot about the work I do and these pictures that I took whilst I was in Vietnam aptly describe my thoughts at this very moment.

A Mid-January 2009 Update

2009-01-17T08:55:00.004+08:00

This year, the school's a lot brighter in terms of Chinese New Year decorations and it all looks so very pretty!

As usual, school has been busy! We (both teachers and students) rush around from class to class, meeting to meeting, activity to activity. But that's also what I love about it - the hustle and bustle of everyday living.

It feels superbly warm and nice to come back and be able to see the girls that I taught last year. It's also interesting to see how the new batch of mei-meis are taking to secondary school life.

I've got some work to do before I head out and attempt to do some exercise - cycling. Hope 2009 has been a good one for you thus far! See you around!

A 2008 New Year's Eve Post

2008-12-31T16:31:00.003+08:00

As far as eves of public holidays go, I've always preferred spending a quiet time at home with my family. This year will be slightly different and I must say that I've got a pretty mild case of the heebie-jeebies at the moment. *gulp* I'll leave you all with some shots that I took this month. Have a wonderful and enjoyable New Year and see you all on the 2nd!

Ruby and Ronny after their bath.
Ruby, out on a ride.
Tiger, very much asleep.
A stray cat I found near Miss N's place.An interesting but delicious bowl of Lor Mee I had in Sitiawan.

Passionfruit

2008-12-29T12:33:00.003+08:00

I've been lucky this month. Mum bought a bag of the sweetest Passionfruit I've ever tasted. :)

It is named after the plant it comes from - the Passion Flower.

The Passion Flower's very distinctive appearance was very symbolic to early missionaries, of Jesus on the cross. Or - the Passion of the Christ as it is known.

The spiky structures sticking out from the centre of the flower symbolises the crown of thorns. The ten petals represents the ten faithful apostles. The three stigmata symbolises the three nails and the five anthers represent the five wounds.

Picture above was taken from Herbal Extracts Plus.

2008 Christmas Presents I love the most

2008-12-26T11:27:00.006+08:00

Of all the physical gifts I received this Christmas, I love the rosary that my friend got for me while she was at the Vatican and three songs that a friend performed for me, of which he penned two of them.

However, I think the greatest gift I've ever received and hope to always receive is the love from the people around me.

Orisinal

2008-12-26T10:58:00.005+08:00

I frequented a particular website at the beginning of Year 2 of my university days. The graphics were nice and the games were simple enough to play. Two days ago, a friend recommended the same website to me. I didn't recognise it until I clicked on the link and the page loaded itself. :) I'm growing old.

Read about Orisinal here.
Visit the actual site here.

2nd time in Sitiawan, Perak

2008-12-26T10:27:00.007+08:00

I was there in 2005. My friends and I brought our mums up there for a short holiday and another two of my dearest friends were our hosts. Those two finally tied the knot after 11 years of courtship this month and three busloads of friends from Singapore went up all the way to Sitiawan, Perak to join in the celebrations. It was the first time I emceed for such a big wedding dinner and I really had fun. I was definitely lucky to have had a chance to work with JQ, a news reporter based in KL. I got to catch up with a couple of friends that I've not spoken to in a long while and I thought that was nice. :)
Like Singapore, Sitiawan (City A1!) is known for certain delicacies like Chinese Red Rice Wine (or better known as Ang Chow) Chicken with Mee Sua (which I absolutely adore) and Kong Piang. Read more about Kong Piang here.

A picture of the folks in action, making Kong Piang.

Spicy and Sour Fish Maw Soup

The most sinful plate of deep fried calamari ever!

Notice the spelling error? (Job hazard *grin*)

Callus versus Callous

2008-12-25T09:54:00.003+08:00

My friend gets calluses on his fingers from playing the guitar. While we were conversing on this topic, we realised that it also sounded very much like 'Callous', which basically means "showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others".

In fact, both meanings lead to the same spelling of the word. However, the following meaning is the one we were initially referring to.

cal.lus |ˈkaləs| |ˈkøləs| |ˈkaləs| (also cal.lous)
noun
a thickened and hardened part of the skin or soft tissue, esp. in an area that has been subjected to friction.
ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from Latin callus (more commonly callum) ‘hardened skin.’

The above was taken from the dictionary function in a MacBook. Please also note: 'Careless' is not pronounced in the same manner.

Christmas Devil Curry 2008

2008-12-24T19:06:00.004+08:00

This photo was taken by my Mum. Cooking this year was a breeze as compared to previous years. Automated blenders are the way to go, I say! I was standing in this position for a good 30 minutes or so just frying the rempah. Ingredients on their way to becoming a curry... I'm getting hungry as I type! :)
Voilà! Devil Curry. A mixture of garlic, small and big onions, fresh and dried chilies, lemongrass, tumeric, mustard powder, ginger, tomatoes, lemon juice, roast chicken and bacon bones can only be described with one word - Yum-O! Sadly, Cold Storage ran out of ham-hock this holiday season. But it's still all good!
Our highly portable and mobile dustbin, Ruby, waiting eagerly for a taste of the curry.

Play Auditorium

2008-12-22T20:35:00.005+08:00

The same friend who recommended Ted.com to me also recommended Play Auditorium and I think it's amazing! Have a go! :)

Merry Christmas and Blessed Holidays!

2008-12-22T18:30:00.002+08:00

December has been such an eventful one for me! I have had absolutely no opportunity or time to take any Christmas photos. Thus, I'm putting up one I took with an awfully dear friend back in 2006. This was taken with us standing in front of the huge Christmas tree outside Orchard Paragon. It has been a busy month but I feel extremely loved and lucky! :) I will blog about my trips to Sitiawan (a little town in Perak) and Vietnam in the coming days but meanwhile, here's wishing everyone a very joyous, safe and blessed Christmas!

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

TED.com

2008-12-08T18:33:00.004+08:00

A good friend recommended this site just the other day and I think it's absolutely brilliant. BRAIN FOOD!

Photoshop coolness

2008-12-04T12:03:00.000+08:00

Check it out here.

Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs

2008-12-03T09:07:00.002+08:00

We really enjoyed ourselves last night. :)
Catch it if you can!

A December Hello!

2008-12-01T11:09:00.005+08:00

A friend sent this to me. :) But more importantly, this is a post just to say "Hello there, I hope you are well."

I'll be in school over the next few days before heading off to Malaysia for a wedding and Vietnam thereafter with some friends. I'll also be watching Wild Rice's Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs tomorrow with some friends and I'm terribly excited about it since the last performance I caught was Avenue Q. It's going to be a busy but a truly wonderful and blessed December despite all the chaos going on in the world. :/ Remember to catch the Christmas light-up at Orchard Road with your loved ones if you can!

Singapore Biennale Singapore Flyer on 4 November

2008-11-21T08:55:00.006+08:00

At City Hall for the Singapore Biennale

This was the one I liked the most. It's by Desiree Dolron.

A group shot!

I liked this shot of CW cutting up the fish into bite size pieces for him.

Girls posing for a shot before going for the ride

The girls on the ride.

Here's another shot of them.

A group shot on the ride.

The best one I took of the scenery around us.

Google Themes

2008-11-21T08:33:00.004+08:00

For those of you who have Gmail, check out the 'Themes' tab!

Creative Arts Programme: VOX

2008-11-12T23:09:00.003+08:00

We ran the Creative Arts Programme 2008: VOX in school today. :)

ELDDS Blog

2008-11-07T00:24:00.004+08:00

I apologise for the lack of updates.

Life has been busy.

Here's a link you may want to check out. :)

White Horses

2008-10-29T23:26:00.005+08:00

Many of the LD girls have been busy with this. They'll be running the whole show (30 minutes) at our concert hall on 7 November, at 7:00 pm. Tickets are going at $5 each and you can get them at the door. :)

Last Day of School 2008

2008-10-23T21:58:00.001+08:00

I remember the first day I met the girls from 1-8. Apart from being very adorable, they were really shy about taking photographs back then and are still a wee bit shy now. It's a pity that we can't seem to get everyone in the picture this time round but I thought these two shots were pretty nice. I'll be uploading the rest into the English workbin. :)

Eclectic Attic

2008-10-23T21:42:00.004+08:00

It has been a busier week than usual, but I'm glad that I managed to fit in dinner with two very dear friends at a quaint little place in Plaza Singapura. It was a good start to a hectic week. :)

Friday 17 October and Saturday 18 October

2008-10-19T11:35:00.004+08:00

I like taking pictures of people and I think it was great that Zoe and Kimberly were brave enough to allow me to take this shot of them. :) Very nice!
This shot was taken by a friend and we spent Friday evening studying at McDonald's and T3's TCC.
I spent a few hours of my Saturday afternoon doing some face and hand painting at Pasir Ris Community Library. :) Many thanks to Miss Chan for giving me the opportunity!

Post EOY 2008 Activities - Netball

2008-10-18T04:46:00.004+08:00

Secondary 1s at the Parade Square after the Netball Interclass Competition Though some of the girls suffered injuries (and I dislike seeing girls getting hurt), I think everyone had a great time. :) I remember participating in similar activities (soccer, netball and captain's ball) when I was in Secondary 1 and 2. I think we won something, but I can't-for-the-life-of-me remember the details. Oh well. What matters most is that we played hard and had a lot of fun. Good memories. :)