Thursday, August 31, 2006
It's the time of the year when students show their appreciation to their teachers. I feel that I've been blessed with the best teachers around. God's blessings really never run short. School has never been made more fun without teachers who can bring out the best in a student and the subject. I think being a good teacher is really a hard thing to do. Managing a class of 40students, catering to each and everyone's needs at the same time, isn't easy. These days, communication between two people is already so hard, juding from the number of failed marriages and broken friendships there are all around us. How much easier is it with 40 people?
I really want to thank all my teachers for their relentless efforts they have put into all their lessons. Their willingness to see us even after their working sechdule, be it in the form of remedials, one-to-one consultations or just talking to us in a casual form. All this i truly appreciate.
I think my teachers really did a good job in teaching me. Never before, have I been so motivated to do well and at the same time sustain a keen interest in all my subjects (excluding chinese).
Chemistry has been made understandable and interesting by Miss Lyana for me, which is an achievement because I started off not knowing even how to write a chemical equation in secondary three.
History and social studies, subjects deemed as boring and uninteresting, were made so real and interesting by none other than Mr Khoo. He's really one cool teacher able to infuse technology, films, movies and jokes into education, making education simply enjoyable.
Miss Sharma, the teacher that never fails to bring snacks and sweets for us during geog lessons, holding lessons in air conditioned rooms and being able to take our nonsense.
And not to forget our dearest form teacher, Mr James Ho. He is argueably the most care-free and relaxed teacher in my perspective. An amiable person he certainly is. English lessons were never quite what it was supposed to be. Unfortunately he wasn't in school today.
Teachers' Day celebration in school today wasn't much of a celebration other than people playing soccer in class and doing some mass dance for ACES day. There was floorball matches for both teachers and students together. It really make me want to grab a stick and play. Nevermind, I shall join floorball in JC if there is one. After handing the teachers my presents, it marked the end of yet another term in VS and the start of the 'holidays'.
And finally, Happy Teachers' Day to all the teachers out there.
Photos Below (and in flicker as well)
The teachers' day gifts, made by me. (Still got 2 more)
It glows in the dark! Haha.
Miss Lyana's card from 4F.
Mr Imran's card. (a deviation from the formula V=IR)
Soccer in action in 4F.
Teachers' Floorball match, with many spectators.
Posted at 6:15 PM 0 comments
Rise and shine. A slight pang of pain still lingers at the back of my head. Enjoying 5hours of afternoon nap in this rather cooling weather, proved to be tempting. I don't know what's causing the pain. Perhaps my irregular sleeping pattern.
Monday Night: 4.30am
Tuesday Night: 3.30am
Wednesday Night: 4.45am
That's the time I've been sleeping for the past few days. I think i'm turning into an owl. Such late sleeping hours, isn't healthy. I think I should sleep earlier. But I can't. Sadly. Must be the double dosage from my homemade mocha. HAHA. OKAY. Enough of this boring narrative.
(I shall continue whatever I want to say on the next post)
Posted at 5:55 PM 0 comments
Friday, August 25, 2006
Guess what came out for english prelim comphrehension?
A PASSAGE ON AUTISTIC CHILDREN (and the other was on a mother and her dyslexic boy).
Perfect. First time a passage came out that i had keen interest in. Psychological problems pertaining to abnormal human behaviour.
The first thing that came to my mind was my MSN nick 'Autism Speaks'. It's my dream career to become a child psychiatrist dealing with the developmental stages of child growth and mainly autistic children. I don't know why either. I'm just interested to help such children. I feel that they should not be the way they are and they should be given a chance to lead a normal childhood. I guess i'll be taking up psychology in NUS when i'm older (although i think i'm still to young to decide), stay loyal to my roots and not fly off somewhere.
Unfortunately, the comphrehension questions were rather difficult. At the end of the exam, everyone was teasing JJ for being autistic because of his eccentric behaviour. So mean. But it was really funny, the way jansen put it.
I heaved a sigh of relief when i found out from miss lyana i got full marks for my prelim titration! Now i have ample marks to minus off from my disastrous QA section.
Posted at 6:26 PM 0 comments
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Ahhh. Prelim chemistry practical was a complete DISASTER.
Firstly, my test tube thing exploded THRICE while i was heating it. HAHA. Quite scary.
Secondly, I DIDNT KNOW THAT FILTER PAPER MUST BE USED WITH POTASSIUM DICHROMATE(IV) TO TEST FOR SULPHUR DIOXIDE. So i was happily waiting for the orange solution to turn to green before *POOF* my test tube exploded. HAHA.
Thirdly, the most dumbest thing i ever did took place. I ASSUMED that hydrogen peroxide was not provided, when it was just on the rack beside me. AHHHHHHHHHHH. I'm so smart. So i ended up using the solution P from the titration which is supposedly a different conc. of hydrogen peroxide or something else.
Lastly, while others got a BLACK/BROWN precipitate, I GOT AN ORANGE PRECIPITATE! WOW. I'm just so 'good' at creating new stuffs.
And the best thing is, i still can be so happy despite it being my worse practical session. I'm expecting the worst. Nevermind, at least it's not the O's. I'm still quite surprised despite it being the prelims i wasn't too worried. I thank God for such peace within me. I've been managing well so far. :D
Posted at 8:36 PM 0 comments
Sunday, August 20, 2006
I've uploaded some of the better photos i took in my Europe holiaday trip last year. For those who have been wanting to see the rest, here it is.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19805351@N00/sets/72157594243714628/
Posted at 12:32 PM 0 comments
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Today, i decided to go on a mini photoshoot after my maths tuition at home. The location was set at the small garden near the void deck, a place i never explored at all. It proved to be a worthwhile experience. Another location was also behind some stalls at novena while on the way to united square. Pictures shot entirely with a normal point and shoot camera. (Ahh, how i wished i can have a DSLR camera.)
Posted at 11:10 PM 0 comments
Thursday, August 17, 2006
YAY! I'M SO HAPPY.
My english oral went extremely well beyond my expectations. It's the first time i didn't feel nervous! And it is UNBELIEVABLE. Because i'm one who gets nervous easily! Even when i was practising with Mr Ho before that, i was very nervous and my body was trembling!
Yes yes yes. Now i feel so confident. I have never spoken so confidently before! It's like a dream come true. I really want to thank all who encouraged and prayed for me! THANKS LOADS.
Oh ya. Sorry to the people around me who were disturbed by my loud oral conversation. LOL. Poor zhihan could even hear what i was reading. Not only him, the people waiting at the other end of the hall also could hear. Sorry! Now i feel so paiseh.
The picture was hard. In fact, i was so stunned by it at first that i only practised a little, like around three minutes or so. And i actually mistook the woman for a MAN. HAHA. So cool lah! I'm sorry to whoever that person in the picture.
At the end of the day, i knew it wasn't in my ability to converse in such a manner. I really want to thank God for enabling me to do so. :)
Posted at 5:06 PM 0 comments
Monday, August 14, 2006
I was just so glad when i received an A1 for my physics mock exam today. I was happy not because i had something to boast about, but it was more than that. It really gave me the confidence i needed. The confidence i needed to carry on and not give up. And i know that it's really by God's timing that these events in my life chose to lay out as such, after all i had gone through.
Times have not been good for me. As each day passed, slowly i was losing hope, losing focus of the goal ahead. I lived my life on mere human strength, and realised i was no match for life in the modern world. Then, it was really time God woke me up. He woke me up to the reality that life lived without Him is one that is meaningless, a painful struggle for survival.
This year really has been the greatest challenge of my life so far. The amount of work, responsibilities, friendships and dealing with the departures of close ones. Thankfully, i see that through all these, i come out a stronger person. A man of greater faith. Afterall, a baby learns to walk, after many instances of falling down.
Being able to write all these, simply shows me how merciful God has been in my life.
"Everlasting, your light it shines when all else fades"
I will cling on to this light of hope and never let go.
Posted at 5:57 PM 0 comments
Friday, August 11, 2006
Don't ask about my chinese 'O' level results. Thanks.
Posted at 5:38 PM 0 comments
Monday, August 07, 2006
Today, i ran the last race for my house. My last 4.8km. It was a race of perseverence. I had learnt so much from it. I came out a tougher person. Okay. Enough of this emotional talk. This nostalgic feeling is just creeping all over me these few days.
I had my last chem pract two weeks ago, it literally ended with a crash. Waiwan dropped the whole bottle of nitric acid on the floor. That's not the point. Chem pract had always been the most fun time in school, the mixing of chemicals while avoiding detection, the spraying of deionised water at each other. Childish yet memorable acts.
Today i didn't give up. I ran and never stopped despite my stomach muscles killing me. The pain was excruciating. I told myself it was my last race and i won't stop. But oh yes, splendid me ran the same timing as sec1 or 2. 27 minutes. 'Fantastic'. The timing didn't really matter though. My 4hours of sleep, never warm-up and unfit body may be the reason. But nevermind, because WE GOT SECOND as a team. At least i get a medal in my last year. Thank God! :)
After that, i followed my classmates out to town. I had actually planned to go back and study, but i realised that i too, needed a break. Yes, i actually spent 2hours playing LAN. Touching that dreaded game after so many months of abstinence. After which, we went to watch the movie 'Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift'. The orange/black RX-7 just had to be smashed. Why!! It's such a pretty thing.
Poor zhihan had to share a couple seat with jansen. Who knows what jansen did to him. Jansen recently has this fetish of ________ my ____. Ah. I'm freaked out. It's been this way for the past 4years (in one way or another). Don't worry, i'll still accept you. HAHA.
Last night, i understood what it really means to have a friendship taken away so fast and quickly. Yes, our friendship will still remain, but it won't be the same before. I asked God why did you have to leave so soon. In fact, it's only a matter of days. Your sincerity in this friendship built up is certainly one i would have never expect coming from one i've known in such a short time. Oh well...
Posted at 7:20 PM 0 comments
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Studies is eating my life away. Literally. Health deterioting. Appetites stripped. Sleep compromised. Friendships strained. Loss of musical interest. A start to the many more to come.
I don't even have the time or mood to go online for the past week. What has become of this lifestyle? Is studying the key to life's answers? My answer is no. Then why do i still study, i ask myself? Apparently, the quickest answer i get from myself is that i study to maintain my performance to show people that even though i give much of my time to God and to the church, i can still do well. If there was no God in the picture, i guess i would still be studying just for myself. Selfish desires of man.
But if it is to glorify God, why has it been taking over my life? Well, that's where the whole big question comes in. That's because of this thing called "over pioritising". And yes, i have been a fool to fall for it. Now that i've learnt my mistake, i hope i won't over commit to my studies.
I seriously wish this whole education system was never in place. They claim it is a system based on meritocracy. Which means it is a system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement. Yes, i agree to it to a certain extent. But what about the people who work so hard, but cannot perform under pressure? What will happen to them? They are rated as "stupid" by their peers and parents, their entire lives are already marked by this sheer understatement of their exsistence. At the same time, drawing out a distinct mark between two groups of people. Doesn't it work out to be some what like the caste system in ancient India? All these streams and educations routes in life? I may not be deemed as one of them, but i feel for these people. That is one reason why i dislike the education system in Singapore. And that is my only area of discontentment with the Singapore government.
We, students, are the victims of it.
Yes, i applaud the government's move to break this mentality that has subconsciously grown in the minds of people that students who can't perform won't make it in life. The doing away of school rankings and such. They say education is the only way for Singapore to survive in this highly competitive society that we now live in. People predict that in a few years' time, you would have to obtain a masters to teach and in the distant future, a PHD to teach. Yes, that would be the future (as so predicted by them).
Nevertheless, being caught up in this meaningless rat race to persue the best educational path, i must always remember to be a christian first, then a student. I do not blame the government for coming up with such a system. But i know that they want the best for us, in their own perspective (Look how much Social Studies have brainwashed me, just kidding). It is so weird, how through the skills i obtained in the process of studying Social Studies, that i am able to look at the government's actions critically. A good thing or not, i do not know.
While others think of what careers they want in future, they asked me about mine. I thought for quite a while and realised something. I do not want to climb this career ladder with other people, desperate to reach the pinnacle of their careers. I guess i would settle for a job that gives me enough time for God, the church and my family. I rather have kids who have the love of God in their lives, rather than become spoilt brats with everything in life but the true essence of life, God. I have thought of becoming a psychiatrist for autistic children. I just feel so much for these children (no, i'm not a michael jackson). But i realised that in reaching my goal of becoming one, i would compromise everything else that i have believed in.
To end this rather reflective, yet impromptu post, i would choose to go wherever God calls me to. And i hope when i've reached that age, the beliefs i hold now would still remain.
Posted at 12:39 PM 0 comments