~Autumn leaves~

2007-06-29T14:42:00.000+08:00

Hello~~ I'm back from the dead and resurrected.. Hee.. Okay, haven't blog for a looong time cos I'm busy with school.

The first year of Uni life is very fun, but i wouldn't be staying in hostel anymore. So its travelling all the way from UBI to BOON LAY :( But i realised travelling the distance is managable, can sleep, can listen to music.. Blah blah..

And... I've joined a rock band "Ellipsis" as keyboardist. We'll be having a performance at Orchard Road on 29th and 30th July, so see how it goes. I think playing in rock band and playing in church is so different. Style is different. Hee.. Joining Ellipsis made me learn more about keyboard cos I've always played piano and keyboard is abit different.

People in Ellipsis are quite nice, and I've listen to songs I probably would never hear. Haha.. Like I didn't know who Bon Jovi was before Ellipsis.. Haha

Tonight I'll be flying off to Korea... To be a beggar..

Haha.. Its actually a international campus crusade conference held in korea, Busan. And then at the last few days of my Korean trip, we'll be going to rural villages on misson trip.

So I'll blog more abt my Korean trip when I'm back :)

2007-02-15T14:35:00.000+08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Haha.. I've spent my Valentines yesterday watching movie with... ...

200 other people in lecture!

Haha.. Yesterday I went for lecture for the module " Science or Fiction? Biology in popular media". Its the coolest elective I've ever taken. Its like learning bio through watching movies such as Spiderman, CSI, Outbreak... We'll even be watching Da Chang Jin later on in the lecture of chinese medicine.

I think my electives this semester are quite nice. My other elective is Improvisation in Music. There's only 12 of us in class and each week, we'll be given a theme (eg. rainforest) and then we'll take different instruments and compose according to the theme.

I'm thinking of taking music again next semester. Maybe Jazz or shakuhachi flute.

I think psychology is really fun! Haha.. There's a whole chapter on LOVE in my social psychology textbook and in it describes what causes attraction, the different types of love, attachment styles... And there's even a part on breaking up. Coincidently, my lecturer's name is Venus. Doctor Venus..

Its fun reading it, but its another story altogether to memorise all the terms and sit for exam..

2007-01-15T20:14:00.000+08:00

Okay, I'm back from my hibernation.

New year, new beginnings, new start. That's what people say every new year and make ~~new~~ revised resolutions every new year. I think I only keep and fulfill half of my resolutions last year.

Some people may think that new year resolutions are craps and if people really want to change, they wouldn't wait till new year to make resolutions. Most resolution wouldn't work anyway, they say.

Well, I think I would agree with them. But I would still make new year resolutions anyway. Cos making resolutions is about reflecting on the past year, highlighting problems and attempting to change.

Yup, most resolutions are not kept but at least you're aware of that problem and tried to do something about it. I think those who don't do resolutions are either those who don't reflect, or think there's no fault to change, or those who are aware of a fault but did nothing about it.

Okay, this year, I'll just have one...

Good time management.

Before I end, here's a good piece of advice to Dear friends out there who drive:
If you happen to pour too much car battery acid into your car, please, PLEASE...

Do not use a straw to suck out the excess acid.

There was someone in my sister's hospital ward because of "Car Battery acid infusion".

2006-10-24T15:06:00.000+08:00

Just attended my last lecture of 'Introduction to Psychology'. It was on abnormal psychology. Learnt about depression and schizophrenia. I think there's a lot of stigma attached to these patients. A lot of black jokes about them and IMH.

I used to think that we can always control what we think and how we feel. So I don't think that I really understood the plight of these patients. I thought depression is just about being sad. Until I attended the lecture, I've always wondered why can't they just ' snap out of it'?

I think being in psychology taught me a lot of things. A lot of times we diagnose patients as 'depressive', 'schizophrenic' but we forget that they are not just a collective group of symtoms. They're real people with real feelings, just like us. They too have mothers, father, brothers, sisters. They have dreams and hopes.

The lecturer showed us a video clip of a schizophrenic named 'Harry'. Harry's condition made it difficult for him to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences, to think logically, to have appropriate emotional response to others and behave in social situations.

In the video clip, Harry was being interviewed by a psychologist. What he said really did not made sense. To a simple question of "How are you?", he went on to talk about protons and neurons and atoms.

A lot of people would think that Harry must have some tragic childhood for him to be like that. Actually, before Harry was diagnosed as schizophrenic, he was just another teenager reading psychology as a major at a university.

Actually there are many patients who are able to accomplish much in life in spite of their conditions. Contrary to popular belief, they are not useless, handicapped people depending on society for their survival.

One good example is Vincent Van Gogh.

The Starry Night was painted by Van Gogh in 1889 in the hospital for mentally disturbed people in St Remy de Provence. Van Gogh was considered to have been affected by bipolar disorder and this painting has high contrasts analogous to extreme bipolar highs and lows, and captures the vibrancy associated with mania
The leafless tree in the drawing is like reaching for the starry skies, like reaching for help.

Music composer Don Mclean was so touched by the painting that he wrote the song Vincent ( Starry starry Night).

Vincent had a sad life actually. He was borned on the same day as his stillborned older brother, also named Vincent. Van Gogh could have suffered psychological trauma as a result of being a 'replacement child', having a deceased brother with the same name and same birthdate.

His love life was sad too. He had fell in love with his landlord's daughter but she rejected him. He also fell in love with his cousin but was also rejected. He then lived with a pregnant prostitute for a year and a half but this relationship failed too.

Even though Vincent painted more than 400 works, he only sold one when he was alive.

Vincent Van Gogh died by shooting himself in the chest with a pistol. Even so, he did not die immediatly. Van Gogh had died 3 days later. As he was dying, he said 'La tristesse durera toujours' ('The sadness will last forever.') and his last words were "I wish I could pass away like this."

2006-10-05T12:25:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday was children's day. It was the last time Sabrina celebrate Children's day. But she had to spend it studying for her PSLE.Haha..

The kids in Sunday school were very excited and kept asking me and Joseph for their presents. Haha.. But the Children Day program ended late so the presents have to be given this sunday instead. But we did gave them chocolates (proudly sponsered by Aaron).

Haha.. The church gave them gifts too. Pencil box, sweets, pens, crackers... And even terapin. These are small things that mean a lot to them. The way they smile and show their gifts to their parents.

I used to look forward to Children's Day as a child. Cos I can get presents and sweets. Haha.. The children day present I loved most was a little, Hello Kitty container. I got it in Pri 4 when Aunty Helena was my teacher. I still have it with me. Haha...

I guess most of us would have a memorable childhood ( even if most of it is spent studying). I thank God that I'm placed in a stable, well-adjusted family in a safe country.

As kids in Singapore are celebrating their children's day, there'll probably be some who wouldn't survive past that day.

Every day, more than 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds.

Besides starvation, there's also child abuse."Child abuse is reported on an average of every 10 seconds and three children die every day as a result of such abuse." (child abuse.org)

I've read books on child-abuse survivors like 'A child called it', 'Chinese Cinderella'... Its quite shocking that the abusers are usually the parents or someone close to the child. The childhood song, ' Shi shang zhi you Mama how' (which my mum sang to me) applied to me, but not everyone else.

I think the saddest are the unwanted,aborted children. I know that abortion is a huge, huge grey area and debates are going on.Like whether the foetus have human rights or they're considered as a living thing.

I don't support abortion, but neither am I against it. Like if there are medical complications and the mother/foetus lives are in danger.. It isthe parent's rights to decide whether or not to continue on with the pregnancy. Also in moral dilema where a woman is raped and becomes pregnant, I think she have a right to decided whether she wants to have an abortion.

But if the reasons for abortion becomes something like, 'inconvenience' or 'unplanned/unwanted', I think its very selfish.

If the foetus is wanted, he/she would have an identity. He/she would be granted with names like Christina or John. Daddy would read to the 'baby' bedtime stories and Mummy would squeal at the slightest move or kick by 'baby' in her womb.

But if the foetus is unplanned/unwanted. The foetus is simply a thing or a tissue mass called 'it'. 'It' have no feelings and emotions. 'It' is aborted, deleted and thrown away. Never mind if 'it' have pain receptors spread over the body from week 8 onwards. Who cares?

Haizz.. Two equally developing foetus, yet different outcomes. All by the basis of 'wanted/unwanted'. Why can't we love them both?

Do we really have a right to decide

This

Or this

2006-09-26T13:32:00.000+08:00

I'm having my Uni one week break now. But its more of a study break than anything. Haha..

Anyway, I received this email from a friend which is about protecting children from internet exploitation. Sounds chim? Actually its about protesting against child pornography.

There's this website where you can light a candle to protest against online child abuse.Light a million candles
The website aims to eradicate child porn. They hope to light at least one million candles by Dec 2006.This petition would then be used to encourage government, politicians, financial institutions, payment organisations,Internet service providers, technological companies, law enforcement agencies to eradicate the commercial viability of online child pornography.

Oh, I went swimming with Angela at the Tampines SAFRA yesterday afternoon. The weather's nice and sunny and there were few ppl swimming there. I prefer to swim in places where its not crowded cos it feels cleaner..

Ah Mui swam i think 16 laps and I swam..Err I think 4. Hmmm cos I haven't exercised for a long long time and it isn't wise to overexert myself.. Haha.. Remind me of the time where I jogged on TPJC tracks during PE classes. The class guys would run from behind me and start walking beside me. And then they'll say "Hey Yvonne, I walk as fast as you jog leh.."

Yah lah, I'm their ego booster.

Anyway when Mui Mui was swimming her 16 laps, I was resting at the end of the pool, observing people. Actually, the pool can still be dirty even if there were only a few people.

There was this middle-age gangster looking guy who after swimming one lap, would cover his nose with his hand and started blowing. And what did he do after blowing? Yup, he washed his hands in the pool.

And I'm like only a few metres away from him.-_-'''

Disgusting! I like swimming but not in dirty pools.

Never, ever swim in children's pool. Cos you'll never know what happens down there. There was once when I overheard a young boy telling his mother, " Mummy, I need to she she." And the mother replied..

"Just do it in the pool lah."

Imagine a pool with so many children with that kind of mentality. But at least it was not visible, was it? I once saw shit in the children's pool. That was why the usually crowded children's pool was empty.

But I think the worst experience I had was in a hotel in KL. Mummy, my sisters and I were taking a stroll around the pool at night and discussing whether we should go swimming the nex day..

And we heard a vomitting sound, like someone's sick in the stomach. We turned around and saw this boy in the children's pool (children pool again) vomitting into the water.

After he finished vommitting, he quickly ran out of the pool, leaving behind his vomit floating on the waters. I mean, the least he could do is to inform the staff to clear right?

We just look at each other in shock and decided not to go swimming anymore.

I think the cleanest pool are those ulu,public swimming pools or condo pools.. Haha.. But the best is to not think of the waters and just keep swimming...

2006-09-11T17:58:00.001+08:00

Its been about a month since I started school. I've been coping fine. Enjoying myself in psychology and in hall life. Psy is quite a slack course.Only had a few lectures per week and not much tutorials. But that made it even more scarier cos I wouldn't know how whether I really know my stuff anot. So its consistant study..

Psy lectures are very fun. We did hypnosis for one lecture and I think its quite hilarious. The lecturer, Johnathan Marshall (cool looking ang-moh), did it on a group of us who volunteered. Haha.. He started with..

" Close your eyes and slowly roll them to the back. Relax and sit as comfortably as possible. Imagine yourself floating, floating, floating.."

Haha.. From that part onwards I couldn't concentrate. Its quite hilarious to me so hypnosis didn't really work for me. But it did work for others. Like when Mr. Marshall said " At the sound of the knock on the table, you would feel a slight itchiness at your right ankle." Some students actually bent down to scratch. The power of suggestion is amazing.

For psy tutorial, we did "Aunt Agony". Where each of us received pretended letters and we are supposed to write back as Aunt Agony. Quite cool, giving advices.

Then there was hall bash. It took place after JAM so its kinda rush. Joanne, Amandia and me attended the bash.

Me and Amandia :)

I found out halfway during the dinner that my camera was out of battery. So sianz.. Bringing around a white elephant. Then when I went home I realised why my cam was flat even though I charged it.. I used the wrong charger..

Oh,our DND is at JewelBox which is at Mt Faber. So we took cable car up.. It so cool and the view from the cable car is magnificent The theme for the DND is Old Shanghai Glam. And some people really dressed up in Qipaos and all..

Here's the photos I took with my handphone cam.( at least that works)

That was it.. And then the next day, I went to the RSAF Openhouse!!!
I went with Pam and her mom. And as I was queing to get in, I heard a "Jie Jie Yvonne" behind me. I turned around and saw my sunday school kid!

Me and Darling Johnathan

Haha... It was pretty hot and sunny, but its better than a rainy day. The planes were cool but somehow at closup view, they look quite fake. Haha..

Umbrellas blocking my F-16.. :(

The F-16s have their pilots' names inscribed at the side. It super cool. Imagine " Yvonne Kirk" on one.. muahaha.. SUper cool.. Oh, speaking of pilots, i don't really like the way pilots swagger and walk around.

Me and Pam

Today is the fifth anniversary of the Sept 11 attacks. The thing that stayed most vivid in my mind was the sight of people falling out of the building. The pain they felt and the hard decision they had to make. But they would rather jump out of a building than be burnt alive. Perhaps as they jump out, their thoughts were full of regrets of unable to see or talk to their loved ones again. I don't know, but if I were in their shoes, I would think that way and make the same decision too..

Battle not with monsters
lest ye become a monster
and if you gaze into the abyss
the abyss gazes into you.

2006-08-25T21:25:00.001+08:00

Orientation camps!!

I've been to two freshmen orientation camps (FOC) and they were really fun. One is my humanities & social science (HSS) camp while the other is my hall camp. Since I only have the photos to my hall camp then I shall blog on this one.

Both camps are five days long. Which is veery long. But for my hall camp, I can sleep in my room so its so much better.

We had ice-breaker at first and we got to know each other. There were a lot of ppl from engineering and I'm the only one from psycho.. Haha.. But another girl, Pinjie was from TCM, traditional chinese medicine and her course was an excellent conversation starter cos ppl would ask her to help ba mai. Haha.. Then we'd tease her by calling "Da Chang Jing!"

Icebreaker games

And then on our first night, we had initiation. its sort of a game where they blindfold us and lead us through different stations. At first can cheat by just peaking through one layer of the blindfold, but when we got wet, its harder to see.

The stations were quite fun. They made us roll through tomato sauce, flour and all the dirty stuff. The stations were quite okay but its the in-between waiting part thats not. Cos when the senoirs gets bored while waiting, they'll...

Make you do some funny poses..

Or worse, pour something over your head...

I guess the seniors were happily doing us all in cos they knew we don't know who did it since we're blinfolded. But the initiation was one of the most inforgetable. It was so cold and we were so wet. Even the guys were shivering and complaining.. Haha.. When initiation ended, it was around 5 a.m.

On the second day, we had some field games. it was quite fun too.

Joyce, Me, Pinjie and Yar Yun

Here's us playing tug of war.

Oh, my group lost that game twice. Guess I couldn't contribute much to this game.. Haha.. Oh, my group's name is Gabrielle. Which mean an angel of light or something..

In the afternoon, we went to kallang to dragon boat. Being in the exact same place reminded me of the dragon boating S07 had last year. The feeling is same.. yet different too.. Haha..

The gals, with a few extras at the back..

Paddles up!... Dayong sampan, dayong dayong sampan..

On our second night, we played this cute game. Every group is supposed to have a station or a base which is surrounded by some thin ropes/strings. Then we, armed with a candle and cup each, would try to burn our opponent's strings at their base.

Its funny the way we try to protect our own flame while trying to blow out other's. But taller ppl would have an advantage.

On our third day, we had pool games!

Had to swim a lot, which is something I hadn't done for a long time. But its good exercise. There are some games which don't really need much swimming.. We gals just need to..

Sit on a float..

And wait to be pushed..

Yes, the guys did the hard work of swimming.. But the gals were entrusted with the all-important task of selecting the ping pong ball with the right alphabet and balancing it on our spoons held by our mouth.

There's this interesting game where we had to dive in and search for majong tiles at the bottom of the deep end of the pool. For non mahjong players, its really loo-gi cos when they shout:" Look for Yi Wan or Er shuo" Then we'll be like.. How did it look like?

Pong!

Oh, and in camp, there's this crazy way of posing for pictures as a group. The guys would lie on their stomach and then the gals would pile on them and we'd all scream " Wo yao kan dao wo de lian ( I want to see my face) " to the camera.

The guys didn't say anything, but from the looks of it.. They most probably would have complained that the gals were heavy.

Then on our third night.. Which I feel is the most fun part of the camp.. Combat games!

The camp organizers really engaged professionals from outside with their laser guns. And their laser guns were so cool. They are able to shoot from 50m away and have sounds when they fire and reload. Even when you got shot and run out of lives, they would let out an agonizing scream to signify that you're dead. Its like playing Time Crisis real life.. Haha..

High class toy guns.

Don't mess with the gals!

Guys just like to act tough

We played around our hall area and the gals just hanged around each other. Haha.. Remember there was this incident where all my friends went to revive themselves and I was walking alone when I saw a group of the 'enemies' coming towards me. I couldn't hide in time so I decided to walk towards them with my weapons down. They saw me and thought I was dead. I'm surprised they really let their guards down so when I was walking past them I stopped and gave them a surprise attack! Haha.. Really quite funny. Could hear them cursing and swearing as they retaliate. Haha..

Guys, we know you've been to army and received training. But this's just a game.. Relax..

And then we had game called "Project Runway" where you had to dress up one of the group member with clothes and other materials. Here's our mascot.

Look closely, you might see something.

And Gaby won the Project Runway!

On the fourth day, we went to sentosa for beach games.

Burying the OGL game. If you can see, he's got the body of a mermaid.

And there's this game where someone had to roll over us..

Waiting to be rolled

'Wo yao kan dao wo de lian' once again

And then in the evening, we had the SP (secret pal) program. The secret pal is someone of the opposite gender whom you don't know and you have to write messages to him/her. They have cute identity for different couples like, Huang Fei Hong and 13th Yi.. Snow white and prince charming. My identity was Princess Fiona and my secret pal was Shrek. I wonder who's Beauty & the Beast.

Anyway, the guys and gals were seperated. And us gals sat in a group while the guys came up one by one to perform and impress us and try to guess who's his secret pal among the group of us.

Its quite intimdating for them to be alone facing a group of gals and the senior tekaning them. They performed,did push-ups,did pole dance, did cheers, sang and dance. Quite funny. Then when they've impress us enough, the guy got to kneel down before the gal and ask her politely out for dinner. Quite the standard operating procedure, but I stressed the word polite cos there was one guy who went:" Can go dinner with me mah?" And he got tekaned by the seniors..

Haha..Here's Shrek. They took photos for every secret pals.

Had dinner at Riverboat Restaurant at sentosa..

The food was not so bad but there were alot and couldn't finish. Found out that Shrek was one of the guys I've killed during the combat games when I pretended dead. Haha.. Was really funny cos he remembered and recognize me over that game. He claimed I was walking so pathetically that he thought I was dead and then I grinned before shooting.

When I was writing notes to Shrek I've added a postnote apologizing for my untidy handwriting. And Shrek then was quite nice and said:" It's okay, my handwriting also very untidy.. Can read can already." And then during the dinner when I finally saw him, he said,

" Ooei, you know your handwrting very untidy?"

Haha.. okay, and then at night we had Fright night in the woods of Sentosa.

Was more hilarious than scary.

Haha.. And Gaby won Best OG! I've been to countless camps but this is the first one where my group won the Best OG title.. Haha..

2006-07-12T22:44:00.000+08:00

Okay... I haven update for a very long time.. And in these two months, I had learnt a lot about life, about others and myself...

Went for CLCN camp in Malaysia with the church in june... Its was very fun. Aunty Cindy, aunty Linda, Gillian, Zhang Qi and me took care of the kids in the camp.

We had our camp at a resort. The tiara beach resort. The food is pretty nice, but there were a lot of flies there. Thanks God none of us fell sick.

The children were given a large empty room for our events so we decided to decorate it!

The mountains...

Posters!

The children

Zhang Qi and Gillian doing a skit

Teachers...

Yup, the camp is really fun. Taught me a lot of stuff too. On the last night, we had sort of a mini party where the children dressed up.

Vietnamese Gal

Hawaii Gals..

Mr. Cowboy..

Shao Ye

Angel

Red Indian..

With the children

Oh, on the way home to Singapore. Our bus leaked water from the air con vents.. And one uncle did a very cute thing.

Oh, I ended my job contract with Tan Tock Seng Hospital. It was very sweet to receive gifts and cards from my collegues on the last day. In my three months there, I learnt a lot about drugs. And I realized that being in the pharmacy is not the thing for me. Every job have its perks but in the pharmacy, its a pretty mundane yet stressful environment. Mundane cos have to pack the same few drugs everyday, stressful cos its a hospital and we've got to be fast.

There are so many drugs there. Most of them I never heard before but there are some pretty well known drugs there like...

We are Family.

In the pharmacy we( the temp staff) work amongst the shelves of medicine. So when there is a patient, a label will come out from the printer at our shelf and we're suppose to pack the medicine according to the label.

Me and Dawn at Printer 3

The Printer

Sometimes the printer's quite nice and just print a few labels. But sometimes, when it gets busy, the printer prints non stop for like 5/10 minutes.. Then I'll get very frustrated. Haha.. Dawn even said she felt like smashing the printer. Agree...

Plain looking box?

Nope, its the injection version of viagra.

I didn't know these drugs existed until I worked in the pharmacy.

Dawn, Wai Lay and me.

Us..

Tamiflu!!

Haha.. Yup, after my work ended I've been bumming around. Mainly watching anime, settling my uni stuff and meeting my friends..

Oh and I accompanied Sab to the dentist. She was pretty scared at first. haha.. But the visit to the dentist was not as painful after all...

Still can smile and pose.

Looks abit scary though..

Another pretty sister..

Okie.. Thats it.. Till I update again..

2006-05-13T23:47:00.000+08:00

When you thought I wasn't looking

When you thought I wasn't looking
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator
and I wanted to paint another one.
~~~
When you thought I wasn't looking
I saw you feed a stray cat
and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.
~~~
When you thought I wasn't looking
I saw you make my favorite cake just for me
and I knew that little things are special things.
~~~
When you thought I wasn't looking
I heard you say a prayer
and I believed there is a God I could always talk to.
~~~
When you thought I wasn't looking
I felt you kiss me good night
and I felt loved.
~~~
When you thought I wasn't looking
I saw tears come from your eyes
and I learned that sometimes things hurt
but it's all right to cry.
~~~
When you thought I wasn't looking
I saw that you cared
and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
~~~
When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked
and wanted to say thanks for all the things I saw
when you thought I wasn't looking.
~~~**~~~

Its Mother's Day. The day to celebrate Mother's love.

I remembered reading on the news, a survey on what people feel is the most beautiful word in the world.

Its 'Mother'.

I think the role of a mother is quite difficult to play. They were there as our cook, nurse, doctor, teacher, councellor... All in one.

Haha... But I think we should remember and be grateful everyday.. Not just on Mother's day.

2006-04-30T21:51:00.000+08:00

Okay, I haven't been updating for a long time. And it seems like I'm saying this for every entry I write. Well, for the past few weeks or month I gone through quite a lot. I'm no longer working t A*star because my contract had ended. But I found a new job at Tan Tock Seng Hospital working as a pharmacist assistant.

Pharmacist Assistant sound nice, but to simply put it; I'm just like a packer in a factory. What I do in the hospital is just to paste the patient's label onto the medicine.

I had VBS camp in march. And here are some of my photos. The kids were great. I love my class. Haha... Nut my class only consist of children from 4-6. And they're so blur.. Always wander away from the group. Then I would have to gather them back.

Elizabeth:

Duncan: The boy who brought his pokemon cards to the camp.

Ethan: The funny boy who complained to me at the beginning of the camp in the morning and tell me: " Teacher, I very tired... I want to sleep..."

Trinity: The chatty and enthusiastic girl. Haha.She's the one who told me: " Teacher, you very pretty.. I want to take photo with you.." Awww..

Denice: She's very quiet but still she participates in the games.. Haha.. And she told me she enjoyed herself very much during the camp.

Bing Bing: The baby of the group. He's the smallest and the youngest.. So cute.

Gabriel: He's a very quiet boy but helps take care of the younger kids in class.

My group!! Faithfulness

During Praise and Worship.

During games:

Teacher, we are ready..

Durin art & crafts.. Its so messy. I think I ended up doing a lot of their work.. Haha..

Too tired...

Angela and the children in the lift.

Aiyo.. Gabriel.. Why don't want to smile?

Me and Bing Bing

Haha.. Bing Bing very funny. When the speaker was praying, he kneeled down and placed his clasped hand on the floor and place his head on the hands. I think that position quite comfortable, cos when the speaker finished praying. He was still kneeling.

I thought it was wierd. How come Bing Bing pray so long.. So went up to him.. He fell asleep! Haha.. So brought him to sleep on the matteress. Guess the prayer was either too long or he was too tired from the day's activities.

HIM : SHE's male version.

Family photo!

Teacher's photo

After the last day of VBS camp, Angela, Evangelin and I went to Samuel's house for BBQ.

There were rats running around at the BBQ pit. So scary. So me and Evangeline went to the pool to play.

Haha.. Yup, in conclusion of this entry.

Young Kids are cute but if they're in one BIG group... Its so difficult to handle. I had to scream and shout to catch their attention and match their volume.

But VBS camp is definitely worth it.

2006-03-17T13:49:00.000+08:00

I haven been blogging for quite a while.. I'm quite busy with lots of stuff.. So here goes...

24th Febuary was Angela's concert! Haha... She's playing as a guest violin player in SAC's concert..

So its a really major event cos she's playing solo with the whole percussion ensemble backing her!! Haha..

So of course I must support her lah.. Actually its very hard to get tickets but Angela managed to get two circle seats. So me and Mummy went.. On the day itself, I managed to get a free ticket! So Daniel rushed down.. Haha...

Anyway, Angela played only 16 bars of solo.. Quite short actually, but its the experience that counts. Anyway, after she played her solo, it seems like suddenly everybody knows her..

16 Bars of fame.

Haha.. Oh.. And I got a bouquet of flowers for her. And she received another one from her band. So she's a happy girl that night.

Her band mates

The SAC concert not only consist of percussion band, but also includes guitar ensemble, concert band and angklung band.

Concert band

Percussion band

Percussion band conductor: Juraimi

Her playing! A bit blur though...

Me and pretty Ah Mui

Mummy, Ah Mui and me.

Me, Ah Mui and Daniel.

Haha.. Must thank Daniel for coming down to watch the concert. It was so last minute but he managed to make it. Haha..

Yup, but I'm very proud of Angela when she went up to perform.. Its so cool.. Haha.. I wish we could play a duet on stage next time...

Angela was very happy with her flowers.

2006-02-20T15:51:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday to AnGeLa

Happy Birthday to you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My sister is going to be a nurse. Better start calling her "Missy" from now on :)

2006-02-19T19:07:00.000+08:00

Yup, just uploaded all my photos from my camera onto the computer.. So I'm gonna post some of them here.

Chinese New Year

Spent the first day of Chinese New Year in Church.. And then went to ba nian. And got bombarded by everybody about questions like: "How's your A level?" or "Which course do you plan to take in University?" At least my sister was suffering with me too.

Seems to me that sometimes ba nian is about answering questions. When we're kids, they'll ask us "How's school?" or "How's your grade?". And then when you take a major exam they'll ask, " How's your A/O levels?", " Which course/ Uni you plan to go?".

And then when you do graduate from University, they'll ask, " Where do you plan to work? Which career path would you choose?"

And when you do carve out your career path, they'll ask: " So when would you get a girlfriend/ boyfriend?"

And when you do get a girlfriend/ boyfriend, they'll ask again: " So when are you planning to get married?"

And when you do get married, they'll ask: " So when are you planning to settle down and start a family?"

And when you do have a child, they'll ask, "So how do you plan to nurture your child? Piano? Violin? Ballet? Or some advance mental math class for genius babies?"

Of course, I'm just being very realistic here. But if you anticipate these questions beforehand, then you wouldn't feel awkward answering them.

I think these questions moves through stages. Something like chord progressions in piano or guitar. Namely:
Education--> Career --> Courtship --> Marriage --> Child

Anyway... The pictures for CNY:

This photo is abit dark though...

King... Princess... Queen... Maidservant no. 1 is taking the photo. Maidservant no.2 is taking the bags.

We went into Malaysia on the second day of CNY to visit relatives there. And Sabrina's god-parents there love cats so much, they specially set aside a room in their house for their pet cats. And the room have air-cons and toilet somemore...

Xing Fu De Mao.(but still caged up lah)

Sabrina and her god-parents.

Three of us.

Then on wednesday, had a CNY gathering with JC ppl... Had dinner at Sze Min's house.. Haha.. They were great hosts. Plenty of food abound, plus got vcds somemore. But its scary movie, so didn't really watch. And I saw Sze Min's nephew... So cute!! Haha.. But didn't take a photo of him. Sze Min said he would cry if I try to carry him.

Anyway, its pretty shocking to see the class guys with their hair all gone. Remembered how David used to be so particular about his 'esplanade' style hair. When I sat behind him for lectures, I can't see the bottom of the screen cos his hair was blocking, and I'll have to dart around his head. Something like the bhangra dance around the coconut tree?

But not everybody turned up. I would wish for a more complete class reunion where everyone is present.Hmmm... The next time would probably be our results collection day.

2006-02-16T09:42:00.000+08:00

Why some longtime lovers look alike

Forget about opposites attracting. We like people who look like us, because they tend to have personalities similar to our own. And, a new study suggests, the longer we are with someone, the more similarities in appearance grow.

Researchers set out to investigate why couples often tend to resemble one another. They asked 11 male and 11 female participants to judge the age, attractiveness and personality traits of 160 real-life married couples. Photographs of husbands and wives were viewed separately, so the participants didn't know who was married to whom.

The test participants rated men and woman who were actual couples as looking alike and having similar personalities. Also, the longer the couples had been together, the greater the perceived similarities. The researchers speculate that the sharing of experiences might affect how couples look.

A biological reasonThe idea that there is a connection between appearance and personality might seem odd at first, but there could be biological reasons for a link, said study member Tony Little from the University of Liverpool in England.

"Testosterone is linked to masculine face shapes and it also affects behavior," Little told LiveScience. "Also, the face displays our emotions and over time emotional expressions may become written in the face."

For example, someone who smiles a lot may develop lines and muscles that are suggestive of someone who is happy. Other studies have shown that partners who are genetically similar to each other tend to have happier marriages. Similarities in personalities and physical features might be one way to gauge genetic similarity.

Smiles and eyesThe new study, to be detailed in the March issue of the journal Personality and Individual Differences, indicates that people home in on a variety of different features when using facial appearance to make decisions about someone's personality, and that the particular cues focused on change from face to face. Vital to the decision, however, are eyes and smiles.

"Smiles are important social cues that may tell us whether or not someone is friendly, and eyes are also a traditional focus of attention," Little said.

Okay, this is a little wierd. Lovers looking alike? Hmmm... So I suppose I'll have to look out for a good looking other half so that I can be prettier? Hahaha... No lah.. What matters is the inside... Not the Outside..

"It's beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart."

2006-02-08T13:29:00.000+08:00

Music Therapy

Music therapy is the controlled use of music under the guidance of trained music therapists to help people overcome problematic conditions or behaviors and to achieve therapeutic ends.

I think music therapy really works. Not that I tried that it before. But Music can really connects with your emotions and thoughts. Certain music I listen to will make me feel better if I've been sad or angry. Haha.. Like piano or intrumental or gospel music. And then there are some music that will make me feel very energized, like rock music (linkin park and such).

So this entry would be on relaxation exercise using music. Hope you people would try it.

Sit comfortably.
Take in full breaths. Inhaling deeply and fully as you can.
Close your eyes.
As you continue to breath in and out, you can feel yourself relaxing and expanding.
Continue to relax. Be aware of the music.
Release tension as you exhale like how you would release a balloon into the sky.
Imagine a place you always liked. The beach/ forrest/ garden / lake.
Listen to the music and imagine walking through the place you like.

Yup.. That's about it.. But I found out a flaw in this exercise. Like in point 3, you're supposed to close your eyes right? How could people follow the further instructions on the screen while closing their eyes?

Okay, but i found a website which provide audio relaxation exercises. Try it out.

Guided Relaxation Exercise

I think music is very important. Maybe people take music for granted that it is always there. But I can't imagine my life without music. Its almost as if life have lost its colour. It would be boring.

Music evoke feelings and thoughts that words can't describe and pictures can't paint.

I respect musicians a lot. Especially those who compose their own music. Beethoven, to me is the greatest composer.

At the peak of his musical career, he lost his sense of hearing. And to a musician, the sense of hearing is everything; music is sound itself being manipulated.

A musician who can't hear is like a painter who can't see or a singer without voice.

But Beethoven, despite his handicap, went on to compose great music. He might not had physically heard his composition being played by the orchestra but I'm sure he had heard the music in his mind. And perhaps, the music in his mind would be stronger and more perfect than the music the orchestra had played.

So I think Beethoven is the greatest composer. Of course, there are many more composers who had composed other beautiful music. Bach, Mozart, Debussy... But Beethoven had composed with what he didn't have.

He composed out of sheer talent, determination and perserverance.

2006-02-04T23:55:00.000+08:00

~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lalita filled up two jugs with water. The volume of water in the first jug was 20% more than the volume of water in the second jug. If the first jug contained 900ml , how much water was there in the second jug?

~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think this is an easy question? Try it for yourself. Is your water in second jug 720ml or 750 ml? If you have 720ml, its because you took the second jug to be 80% and the first jug to be 100% (20% more).

100% ----> 900ml
80% -----> 900/ 100% X 80%
= 720 ml

Yet, however, if you take 120% for the first jug and 100% for the second jug (20% more), you'll get 750ml.

120% ----> 900ml
100% ----> 900/120% X 100%
= 750ml

~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~

Now the problem is not how much water second jug contain, but is the second jug 80% or 100% of the first jug?

Okay, the first thought that came to my mind is of course 80%. I dun know why, but I just took the second jug to be 20% less of the first jug to be 80%.

But you see, if you have 20% more than me, and I have $100. You would have $120 right? Then in this situation, I took my $100 to be 100% and you would have 120%.

So how much water does the second jug contains exactly? 720 ml or 750ml?

~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh, and this was Sabrina's Primary Six math question.

Playing a violin with three strings

2006-02-02T23:01:00.000+08:00

Playing a violin with three strings

On Nov 18 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stae to give a concert at Avery Fishery Hall at Lincoln Centre in New York City.

If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small achivement for him. He was stricken with polio as a child, and so he has braces on both legs and walks with the aid of two crutches. To see him walk across the stage one step at a time, painfully and slowly, is an awesome sight.

He walks painfully, yet majestically, until he reaches his chair. Then he sits down, slowly, puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks one foot back and extends the other foot forward. Then he bends down and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the conductor and proceeds to play.

By now, the audience is used to this ritual. They sit quietly while he makes his way across the stage to his chair. They remain reverently silent while he undoes the clasps on his legs. They wait until he is ready to play.

But this time, something went wrong. Just as he finished the first few bars, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it snap - it went off like gunfire across the room. There was no mistaking what that sound meant. There was no mistaking what he had to do.

We figured that he would have to get up, put on the clasps agaon - to either find another violin or else find another string for this one. But he didn't. Instead, he waited for a moment, closed his eyes and then signalled the conductor to begin again.

The orchestra began, and he played from where he had left off. and he played with such passion and such power and such purity as they had never heard before.

Of course, anyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. I know that and you know that, but that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that.

You could see him modulating, changing, recomposing the piece in his head. At one point, it sounded like he was de-tuning the strings to get new sounds from them that they had never made before.

When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room. And then people rose and cheered. There was an extraordinary outburst of applause from every corner of the auditorium. We were all on our feet, screaming and cheering, doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done.

He smiled , wiped the sweat from his brow, raised his bow to quiet us, and then he said - not boastfully, but in a quiet, pensive, reverent tone - "You know, sometimes its the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."

Perhaps that is the definition of life - not just for the artists, but for all of us. Here is a man who has prepared all his life to make music on a violin of four strings, who, all of a sudden, in the middle of a concert, finds himself with only three strings; so he makes music with three strings, and the music he made that night with just three strings was more beautiful, more sacred, more memorable, than any that he had ever made before, when he had four strings.

So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world in which we lived is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left.

2006-01-19T15:12:00.000+08:00

Do you think you're healthy?

I think health is somthing that we all take for granted. We live happy now because we're healthy. But would we still remain healthy in another 20, 30.. Or maybe even 10 years? I think we are what we eat. And judging by the food I ate, I can confidantly say that I wun remain healthy in the next 20 years.

Remembered that there was a period of time where I'm really mad about Cha Kway Teow. In sec 2 I think... When I eat out... it HAD to be cha kway teow and nothing else. And then there was a peroid of time where I'm mad about fast food. MacDonalds and KFC. And then there was a period of time (in JC I think) where I'm super crazy over Katong Laksa. Its madness lor... I ate it three times a week.

Of course at that time, health didn't really matter to me. What mattered was good food.But now I'm down with stomach flu, slowly reflecting about how good or bad I've been to my body.

Things I never Knew...

1) Artificial Sweeteners

The most common artificial sweeteners are Aspartame, Saccharin and Acesulfame K. Saccharin and Acesulfame K has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals and human beings. Aspartame has toxic acids that can lead to mental retardation. Many people have reported dizziness, headaches, epileptic-like seizures, and menstrual problems after ingesting aspartame.It is, therefore, alarming that there is an excessive use of artificial sweeteners in foodstuffs, such as sweets and cooldrinks.

2)Food Preservatives

Nitrites and nitrates are used to preserve meat as well as add flavour, inhibit bacterium and provide the “desirable” pink colour. However, these preservatives are suspected to cause stomach cancer. Another group of preservatives, sulphites, produce allergies and may induce asthma attacks in asthmatics. Preservatives should not be used in foods for children or anyone, for that matter, unless they are proven safe to their health. Because such proof is not available for the sulphite, benzoate, nitrite and nitrate families of preservatives, these should not be used in foods that are meant for consumption by children and pregnant women.

3) MSG

MSG produce headaches, tightness in the chest, burning in the throat and, a burning sensation in the forearms and the back of the neck. These flavourants find their way into most, if not all of children’s snacks, crisps and food. Crisps, snacks and convenient sachet foods.

MSG is almost in everything I can think of. Instant noodles, potato chip... Even though I do not have headaches or burning in throat or blah blah.. I do notice that I'm always very thirsty after eating instant noodles.. Like there's this dry feeling and this salty taste..

Oh, and the scary thing is that there is NO study on the long-term effects of MSG. If you read about the harmful effects of MSG, they're just the short-term study of what would happen after eating them. There's still no clue yet as to what would happen if people eat MSG for like long term peroids.

4)Dishwashing liquids

Most dishwashing liquids contain naphtha (which causes central nervous system depression), diethanolsamine (which causes possible liver poison) and chlorophenylphenol (a toxic metabolic stimulant).

Dishwashing machine detergents consist almost entirely of phosphates and silicates and can be so alkaline that they corrode some glazes, plastics, glassware and aluminium cookware. They may also contain chlorine to act as a disinfectant and to remove stains, such as tannin from tea. Dishwashing liquids need to be safe as they leave a residue on dishes, which are then used for foodstuffs

5)Shampoos

Nearly all brands of shampoos contain cancer-causing formaldehyde. Moreover, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is found in most shampoos and damages protein formation in the eyes, not only from direct eye contact but also through skin absorption. SLS can lead to cataract formation and eventually to blindness. I think thats why shampoo bottles alway tells us to rinse our eyes thouroughly when in contact with the lotion.

Dandruff shampoos also contain chemicals that, if swallowed, can cause vital organs to degenerate. Dandruff shampoos may contain resorcinol, which is easily absorbed through the skin and can lead to inflammation of the inner eyelids, skin irritation, dizziness, restlessness, rapid heartbeat, breathing difficulties, drowsiness, sweating, unconsciousness and convulsions. Dandruff shampoos may also contain coal tar. Lindane, used in shampoos for treating lice and scabies, has been found to be associated with major risks of brain cancer.

I think this is the most scary. Like washing my hair is also cancerous..

5)Hair Dyes

Permanent colour hair dyes contain potentially carcinogenic, mutagenic, and allergenic ingredients. e.g. 4-methoxy-m-phenylenediamine (4-MMPD, 2,4-diaminoanisole), 4-chloro-m-phenylenediamine, 2,4-toluenediamine, 2-nitro-p-phenylenediamine and 4-amino-2-nitrophenol have been reported to cause cancer.

Lead acetate, also found in these dyes, is a suspected carcinogen. Women who use dark, especially black, hair dyes for prolonged periods might have increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma (malignant tumours formed by bone marrow cells).

Yup, and a report said that if one continuously dye her hair for over 50 years, it's almost a 100% of a brain cancer. I think its because the chemicals gets aborbed into the body through the scalp.

6)Hair sprays

Hair sprays may contain butane, which is known to affect the heart, central nervous system and cause skin irritation; and formaldehyde, which is cancer-causing when inhaled. A recent study in the USA showed that phthalates, which damages the human reproductive system, liver, kidney and lungs and harms the developing foetus, are found in Aqua Net Professional Hair Spray and VO5 Crystal Clear 14 Hour Hold.

7)Cosmetics and lotions

Petroleum distillates (naphtha), which are present in lip cosmetics, can cause damage to the nervous system, skin, kidneys, and eyes. Dove Beauty Bar contains formaldehyde, which causes cancer, dermatitis, is a neurotoxic, a sensitizer and is poisonous. It also contains Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), which is also carcinogenic. Glycols (may be carcinogenic, mutagenic, and toxic) are found in lotions, creams, and moisturizers. So is phenol, which causes severe allergic reactions (and may appear under the labels of Arosol, Dowanol EPH, Phenyl Cellosolve, Phenoxethol, Phenoxetol or Phenonip).

Phthalates, which can damage the human reproductive system, liver, kidney and lungs and harm the developing foetus, are found in some cosmetics, including perfumes, lotions, nail polishes and lipsticks. Research by the Environmental Working Group in the USA found high levels of phthalates in Elizabeth Ardens’ Red Door perfume, Charlie Cologne Spray, Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds, Escape by Calvin Klein, Eternity by Calvin Klein, Fire & Ice, Poison by Christian Dior, Christian Dior Nail Enamel, Cover Girl Nail Slicks Express Finish, Nutra Nail and Nivea Body cream. Varying levels were found in other name brand cosmetics such as Revlon and Calvin Klein. Women of childbearing age are exposed to these toxic and carcinogenic substances everyday.

8) Wax

Wax is present in instant noodles. Ever notice how instant noodles can remain firm and springy even though its been left on the table for some time?

9) Mercury

Let’s start with a straightforward fact: Mercury is unimaginably toxic and dangerous. A single drop on a human hand can be irreversibly fatal. A single drop in a large lake can make all the fish in it unsafe to eat.

Mercury is also a by-product of many industrial processes. In the United States coal-fired power plants alone pump about 50 tons of it into the air each year. That mercury rains out of the sky into oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams, where it becomes concentrated in the flesh of fish, shellfish, seals, and whales. Last year the Food and Drug Administration determined there is so much mercury in the sea that women of childbearing age should severely limit their consumption of larger ocean fish

Infants born to mothers contaminated by mercury in Japan’s Minamata Bay in 1956 had profound neurological disabilities including deafness, blindness, mental retardation, and cerebral palsy. In adults, mercury poisoning can cause numbness, stumbling, dementia, and death. Just this year, mercury toxicity was implicated as a cause of Alzheimer's Diesease? Now, what exactly were those dental fillings made out of again?

In August 1996 Karen Wetterhahn, a chemistry professor at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, spilled a few drops of a laboratory compound called dimethyl mercury onto one of her hands. She was wearing latex lab gloves, so she didn’t think much of it. A colleague saw her at a conference the following November. “She said she thought she was coming down with the flu,” says toxicologist Vas Aposhian of the University of Arizona. By the time Wetterhahn was diagnosed with mercury poisoning, in January, it was too late. Despite subsequent treatment that helped clear the metal from her body, she lapsed into a vegetative state in February and died the following June

Seafood is one of the two most common sources of mercury exposure in adults. Although concentrations of mercury in air and water are increasing, they are still too small for alarm. But bacteria process the mercury in lakes and oceans into a form that accumulates in living tissue. Plankton take in the bacteria and are in turn eaten by small fish. With each meal, the mercury concentration rises. Then larger fish eat the small fish, increasing tissue concentrations still more. Fish at the top of the food chain accumulate the most mercury. And who eats all those fishes? Us.

Okay... That's about as much as I can find. But its enough to make me paranoid. I used to think that I'm quite good to my body as I attended PE classes in school. Hmm... But I think its very ironic how people spend so much money on vitamins, health supplements, gym membership... But don't watch their diet.

When newspaper reports about health stats like 1 in 18 will have colorectal cancer, its happeneing to people older than us. People who didn't have MacDonalds or KFC or Pepsi until their late teens.. What would happen to younger people like us who eats all the junk food since we're young?

Think you're healthy?

Think again.

2006-01-12T21:29:00.000+08:00

Haha.. Had quite a lot to blog today. Mostly on my reflection on what happened last sunday.

The sunday school teachers performed a little skit for the children on sunday. It was a very simple story.

Once upon a time, there was a kindergarden called Sunshine Kindergarden. There, little kids came to learn and play. There was a little boy too. But the boy was very poor and always wear the same dirty, old shirt to school everyday.

All the other kids found him to be dirty and smelly and called him the 'smelly boy'. Nobody played with him and sometimes the other kids would use broomsticks to chase him away. " teacher asked us to clear the mess, and sweep away the garbage hor?"

The little boy was very sad and had no friends.

One day, a new transfer student came to Sunshine Kindergarden. She was different from the rest of the other children. She talked and played with the little boy and even shared her food with him. The little boy was very touched and asked her.

"Why are you so good to me?"

The little girl smiled and told him that it is because she knows somebody who loves her very much. And she asked if he would like to know that sombody too. The little boy nodded his head and the little girl brought him to Sunday School.

There, the little boy saw many other little children. And he got to know the sombody who loved him too. The sunday school teacher and children sang a little song called John 3:16 (which was composed by zhang pei!).

From there, the little boy learned about how loved he was. That God loved him for who he is. And even though the little boy still wore the same dirty shirt everyday to school, he knows that there is someone up there who loves and cares for him.

A very simple skit. After the teachers performed the skit, Gillian asked the children to close their eyes and pray. Gillian asked those who would like to accept Jesus in their heart to follow her prayer.

The room was darkened and the children had their eyes closed and their heads bowed. While Gillian was starting to pray, I noticed Q (shall not reveal name). Q had his hands clasped tightly and while Gillian was praying, a tear slid down his cheek.

I was shocked. While I was acting, I thought that the skit was just 'another entertainment' to the children. I did not really expect the kids to understand the message behind it, let alone be touched by it.

Q is a different sort of kid. He's hyperactive and finds it hard to focus and learn in class. He's a little plump and is not the type of kid people would describe as cute or bubbly. He's not exactly rebellious but I heard that he's difficult in class. And when I first knew that he's going to be in my class, I thought of ways to discipline or control him.

But after seeing him shed tears and praying so earnestly made me changed my mind and even made me feel guilty and ashamed that I had even thought of that. Q, unlike other children, didn't bawl or attract attention when he cried. It was just silent tears. But he prayed very earnestly and I know that he meant every word he said.

Perhaps Q had identified himself with 'smelly boy' in the skit. Q, being hyperactive, have very short attention span. As a result, his school performance and even his social interactions might have been affected. I heard from other teachers that Q was shunned by the other boys in class.

For a boy so young to know what pain and sadness is and even cry over it, he must have been through a lot. After this incident on sunday, I viewed him as a different boy. Not as a trouble-maker, just someone who need more love.

So God, I pray that you would grant me more wisdom and patience so that I can show more love and grace to this child.

2006-01-08T19:37:00.000+08:00

I was clearing some of my books and notes at my desk a few months ago when I came across something my class did for civics.

What I've learned

Johnson: I've learned that sometimes in life, your best is just not good enough, and you must accept failure gracefully.

Daniel: I've learned that unless you want to regret for the rest of your life, you should just follow your heart's decision and do it!

Jing Zhong: I've learned not to take anything for granted because when you lose it, you will regret not treasuring it in the first place.

Yue Hong: I've learned that the runner in front of me is meant to be overtaken. Never give up!

Christopher: I've learned that not everyone in this world is perfect, but at least each one of us has a special, unique skill.

David: I have learned tht having failed relationships is not necessarily a bad thing. I learned how to love a person better.

Yvonne: I learned to treasure the things I have so that there will be no regrets when they're gone.

Peiwen: When there are 10,000 things to do and you are only able to do 9000 of it, do not dwell on the 1000 you cannot do.

Shi Nuan: I learned that a humble man is the most beautiful man. Humility is a virtue.

Millie: We should treat others the way we want them to treat us.

Huiting: I learned attitude is what people see in you. Have a positive attitude.

Zhi Hui: When you dislike a person, there is usually something of that person that is in yourself.

Sze Min: I have learnt that failure is not the end of the world. It is how you pick yourself up from the failures that matters.

Justin: I have learned that no matter what life throws at you, in the end, it is still what you decide to do with it that matters.

Cheng Wei: I have learned that even though I detest reality as it is not what I hope for, I still have to live with it.

Eugene: I have learned that mental strength is required to pull you through when you are faced with physical constraints.

Aparajit: I have learned that pressure and stress are not the best ways to teach a child responsibility.

Galvin: I have learnt that life is not as smooth-going as I think it will be.

Andrew: I have learned that punctuality is very important.

Ms A. Quek: I've learned that I should never underestimate my students. i can still learn a lot from them!!!

Haha... Time really flies... I had just completed 12 years of education and hopefully going to complete the last lap of 4 years in Uni ( that is if I can get in)...

It seems not too long ago that I made a wish to grow up quickly when I was 9. And here I am, 10 years later... 19 seems really old to me. I can't really believe that I am 19. The last year where I'm going to have a digit 1 in front of my age. A bit scary; growing old.

When I'm young, a day seem to past by very fast. But a year seem to come slowly.

When I'm older, a day seem to past by slowly. While a year comes and go in a blink of the eye.

Haha... I think time dun wait for anyone. No matter what happens, life goes on. And time dun stop for anyone to pick up broken pieces. All of us have a limited timespan, and at the end of it, we can't turn time around to change anything.

2006-01-02T21:05:00.000+08:00

Today's post would be on last year's Christmas and New year Celebration. Haha.. A bit late I know but I'm uploading all the photos mah...

Yup.. I celebrated Christmas in Church.. Haha..

This is Baby Lois. The name Lois always remind me of Lois from Superman. Hmmm.. Maybe Baby Lois will find her Clark Kent when she grows up.

And then I had rehearsal with Team 4 on saturday.

Doctor Rebecca Kan. She look absolutely peaceful and serene playing the cello. Seeing and hearing her play the cello makes me want to pick up the instrument too.

The winds. Jon and Daniel.

The strings. Gideon, Aaron, Ah Mui and Rebecca.

Jon

Uncle David strumming...

The funky Shi Fu!!!

Grace Tye and Shi Fu

And thats it for Christmas... Haha... Next is the new year celebration.. We had co-workre's night on 31 Dec at Roland Restaurant. Yup... And Yi Mei Aunty was at our house in the afternoon so she selped us braid our hair..

Braiding...

Done!

The three of us at Roland...

Yup... So thats all the photos I took for Christmas and New Year.

And I watched Chronicles of Narnia today!!!

Its super good.. And I finally watched it after so long.. Haha.. Watched it with Jia Hui, ivy and her sister.. We went to Plaza Sing to watch. Then I go and see see shi nuan cos she working in a ice cream shop there. And I bought some ice-cream from her. and she scoop up so much extra for me lah....Haha.. Thanks!

Haha.. I think the sound and music for Narnia is good...And I think the scene where Peter lead the army into the battle against the white witch is super cool. Its like he's riding a white unicorn with the whole army behind him.. Haha...

Well.. Thats for today.. tomo still have to work...

2006-01-02T00:28:00.000+08:00

Today is the first day of 2006!! Haha.. And this means new hopes, new dream, new goals, and new responsibilities...

Yup, went to church this morning.. And I saw my new Sunday school class... Haha.. I moved from Praise Kids to Jam Kids. So I'm teaching P2s now. And I'm in the Jam Kids session... Jam Kids are kids from nursary to P2..

Well, new year means new change. Its different being with the younger kids. From teaching P5 to teaching p2s... There's a lot of adapting to take place.

Oh... And my co-teacher is Joseph Tiew.. And surprise surprise... We wore almost the same outfit today. I was rushing for time this morning cos like going to be late. So I just wore a green polo-tee and jeans... And Joseph wore the same too.... So funny lah.. And what a coincidence. We both wore the Giodano polo tee... And the children just have to look for the 'green' teachers...

Haha... But its a nice way to start the new year.And I found out today why I'm always late for school..

Its from my Mum.

My mum was also always late in her school days. She said that she'll be in class only when the teacher started teaching. And she'll walk in calmly and greet the teachers... Sound familiar?

Yah, and my mum always complained that I'm always late for school...

Guess I got that part of the genes from my mum..

Can still visualize what always happen when I'm late.

Yuehong/Jing Zhong: Yvonne, late again?
Daniel ( rolling his eyes): Come so 'early', might as well not come.
* Sze min shaking her head
* zhi Hui giggling beside her, relieved that she's not as late as me

Hey hey, but I'm not the latest. Cos Cheng Wei will come strolling in ONE hour later and say,
" Sorry, sorry.. I'm late"

Yah, but Mummy said that she stopped being late when she's started working. So maybe my 'late' gene would stop expressing themselves now, cos I'm working..

Yup, so that covers the part the 'Be responsible' part of my New Year Resolution and I hope it'll last.

2005-12-30T15:35:00.000+08:00

2005 is coming to an end soon.. And in this year, I have grown wiser and older? Haha.. They always say wisdom comes with age. Well, sometimes I think its just a comforting thought for older ppl... But I think its quite true too.

With age comes experience. With experience comes confidence. Yup, so I'm looking forward to next year.

Yup, with the new year coming... I suppose I'll come up with New Year Resolutions.

My New Year Resolutions

1) Draw near to God
2) Show more love, care and concern to family and friends
3) Be more responsible
4) Dun be a sotong/ blur blur
5) I will be happy

Haha... So that's my New Year Resolution... Hmmmm... I think they're quite realistic so I'll try to fulfill them. Haha... I think Resolution 5 might look strange. But I think Happiness is a choice. So I'll tell myself that I will be happy regardless of what happen.

There was a Newspaper report that say Nigeria people are the happiest in the world. And isn't it ironic that Nigerian, even though they're the poorest, turns out to be the happiest. Most of them live in extreme poverty with no food and shelter while we have MacDonald and air-cons at night.

So actually Happiness lies not in circumstances but in choice and attitude. Of course, not all circumstances are happy. But sometimes we feel that way because we allow it to happen. Happiness and joy can still be felt even in the midst of pain and loss.

So happiness does not means a successful career, straight As in studies or even the perfect life. Cos nothing on this Earth is perfect.

Happiness is contentment with what we have, an optimistic attitude. Happiness is a choice. I don't need to wish for happiness because I can be happy if I want to.

And I will be.

2005-12-29T21:10:00.000+08:00

Yup, I just finished my second day of work. Its pretty tiring and there seem to be more and more work. I was early for work (again).Hee hee... Yah and I took the Biopolis Shuttle bus instead of walking up the slope. Haha...

Well, things were pretty well and I just did some filing in the morning. And I saw MeiXin at Holland Drive Hawker and had lunch with her. Haha.. What a big coincidence. I was praying for someone to have lunch with me cos everybody else was at a meeting and MeiXin came along! Haha...

Meixin is working at A*STAR too but she's in a lab in Nanos building while I'm at Centros. Yah, A*STAR is very big. It have five buildings and I'm just working in one of them in one of the levels and in a small cubicle. the five buildings are linked up together by a bridge.

Yup.. And today, I entered the LAB!!

Haha.. WeiLin (my HR manager) brought me along to deliver the letters and mails to the ppl working in the lab. The lab at Biopolis is much more high tech than the once in TP. They're air-conditioned and got so many different rooms and machines. I even saw a Mass Spectrometer Room. Hmmm... I wonder how spin-spin coupling would look like in that room.

Yup. The ppl I saw at the lab today changed my impression of scientists and researchers. I used to think that scientist and researchers lead a very boring life. Busying themselves behind some flasks, peering into test-tubes with thick, black glasses. Introvert ppl who don't talk much.

But the ppl I saw today were totally different. They're so bright and lively. They're even playing the radio in the lab. WeiLin introduced me to the different ppl in the labs. Haha... They're pretty friendly...

Oh.. And after work, I met Meixin and her friend and we went to play pool there. They say there's even a gym. Oh and I saw a bar there too. I think Biopolis is a place for ppl to work and relax at the same time.

Yup, I'm quite happy that I got a job. Haha.. Thank you, God!

2005-12-28T20:25:00.000+08:00

Today is my first day at work.. Its not bad lah.. Haha.. Nothing bad happened today. Thank God. I woke up early today and Angela accompanied me to the mrt.. Quite ironic.. Today is her last day of work whilst today is my first day of work.

Yup. A*STAR is all the way at Buono Vista which is so far away. Phew... Luckily I'm early for work today. I think my JC days are really havoc.. 'Early' for me was 10 mins late. 'On time' was being in class only before the teacher stepped in. 'Late' was not turning up for class at all. Yah.. Its very bad.. I know I know... That's why have to start going to work early.

Yup. My workplace is about 10 mins walk from the mrt and I have to cut through the most dreadful building of all. The MOE ( Ministry Of Education) Building. When I walked through, I thought These are the ppl who made us slogged for the past 12 years.

Well.. From the MOE building to my workplace I have to climb a slope and this distinctly reminded me of TPJC where I had to walk up the slope there every morning.

Biopolis ( where I work) is a very high-tech place. Security is very tight there. I was given a pass to get around the building and office. And it worked something like the EZ-link. I need to tap on the devise before the door could open.

The people working there are very friendly too. But there's nobody around my age though.. Yup, the place is very near Holland Village and that's where we had our lunch.

I think Holland Village is a really old estate. It looks really different from what 'Holland V' the TV serials portrayed. The TV serials showed a very modern, western place while the place I've been too have old shophouses and hawker centers. Hmmm.. Maybe its the different part of Holland Village I visited.

Yup.. So that's basically it for my first day. Just general admin stuff like filing. But its a bit stressful cos I'll have to meet the really smart people. The scholars, the scientists and the researchers... Yah.. And I think I wun even do well for my A levels lah...

2005-12-27T19:55:00.000+08:00

Yea... I found a job!!!

Its HR assistant cum admin at A*STAR... ( Agency For Science Technology And Research).

Yah... Haha... So happy.. At least I get to do something for the next few months instead of slacking at home. Actually slacking is quite fun too.. But gotta do something lah.

I'm abit worried cos tomo is my 1st day at work.. I seriously hope I wun be so gong and blur tomo. Yah like today. I was at at Orchard Topshop before going to my interview and I saw Eugene Tan. Or rather He saw me.

He was doing item checks at the Blue Q countre then I walked over there. And being blur I din see him.. Haha... So thats me.. If you see me on the streets but I looked away, its not that i'm being dao... I'm just blur okay...

Anyway, I found out today that Eugene and Samson and two of there other friends are the sole distributors of Blue Q products.. Wow.. So cool.. And the Blue Q products are so cute...

Wash away your sins Soap

And Miso Pretty stuff.. I think the graphic is cute. The cheongsam gal.

Yup... Quite cute.. Esp the Wash Away Your Sins soap... Haha... I mean it would make a really innovative gift. The packaging is better than BodyShop or Nautral Source I think....

Yup.. So thats it for today. Hope I wun bungle up things at work tomo.

2005-12-23T15:51:00.000+08:00

Today is the eve of Christmas Eve. Haha...I think many things happened over the past few weeks and months. And I learnt one thing from them.

The power of Words

Many ppl actually underestimated them but words actually have a huge impact. Like if my sister says "Not nice" when I go shopping with her, I wun buy the stuff I had in mind, even if I had liked it a lot. Or even if I had bought it, I wun think it as pretty as before.

I'm sure everyone have experienced the healing as well as the destructive effects of words. Like when you're sad, the right affirmative words from a friend can actually comfort you. Conversely, the wrong words spoken in a situation can make you feel even more sad or angry. Words can bring you down or take you up.

Stick and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. I wonder who's this fool who came up with this famous line. Take a look at the NKF saga. It was a really small matter actually. A journalist reporting about NKF ppl taking first class flight and its grand furnishing in the NKF building.

I think its a small matter actually. If Mr Durai (former CEO of NKF) had explained clearly and nicely to the public why he had used the money this way, perhaps things would have been different. But he chose to do it the aggressive way; suing the journalist.

Maybe Mr. Durai had thought that NKF was a big organization which would never be threaten by a mere journalist. Funny how such a big organization with reputation can be brought down to its knees in the space of one month.

This is the power with words.

I am not saying what NKF did was right. I quite understand the anger of the public. That we have so generously given and donated but there was no accountability for the money. The anger and the disappointment. That $600,000 is considered as peanuts. Maybe to such a big organization, $600,000 is really a small amount when they're dealing with millions. But to most of us, $600,000 is what we could not even earn in 20 years time.

I feel most sad for the patients of NKF. They are dependent on the organization. Dialysis is really expensive and even if the leaders of NKF had told untruths and no accountability in financial management. I think the fact remains that the NKF have touched many patients' lives in the last 20 years. The kidney patients are still dependent on NKF and its quite worrying to see so many donors canceling their donations. I hope that in their anger and disappointment, they have not forgotten their true intention of donating: To help.

We should condemn and punish those who did wrong. Those who had betrayed the publics trust. But we should never forget the patients of NKF. It is not their fault that things turned out this way, but I think any consequences of the NKF saga would directly affect them.

The power of words. That it destroyed the trust that NKF had tried so hard to build over the last 20 years.

So my Christmas wish this year is that I would be able to use my words wisely. That I would say the right things at the right place and the right time.

2005-12-22T18:00:00.000+08:00

I went Orchard Road with S07 gals on monday night. Supposed to have a Christmas gathring... Yup. and we had dinner at some Japanese Fast Food and talked for like 2 hours plus.. Haha...

Shi Nuan...

At the restaurant... Nuan, Millie and Sze Min

And then later we saw a christmas tree that's made just of Pringles cans!! Wow.. They just stack the cans up to the shape of a tree... Brilliant...

Then we walked down after dinner to watch the Christmas Lights... So pretty... Haha..

Us..

And we walked down and down and saw a very pretty building thats so lighted up.

But its just Singapore Post...

Huiting who organized this gathering...

And then we walked to opposite the istana area.. Where there's a big fountain..

And the flowers looked so beautiful that I thought they were fake at first.

2005-12-18T20:52:00.000+08:00

Today we had class party at sunday school.. Haha.. Yup.. the kids brought tidbits to share.. and its super funny cos the gals brought so many tidbits but the guys brought only two, small packets of crackers...

And Victor thought that so much good does not goes well with the absence of drinks... So e headed for 7-eleven where he bought Slurpie for ALL of us... Haha.. So nice right?

On the way to 7-eleven

Having our party.Victor in the middle, in control of the kids.. They really listen to him..

Class of L5 Praise Team!!!

Yup... Thats about it today...But yesterday I had class bbq which was organized by Johnson and David (thank you guys). But sadly it rained...

The gals waiting at the bus interchange waiting for rain to stop..

Walking to the bbq pit...

The guys trying to start the fire... See the tiny glow in the middle? Yah, that's the fire.

After 45 mins... " Aiyah the rain mah.. and we dun have small pieces of charcoal.."

And the gals waiting patiently...

Anyway.. Sze Min in the end decided to help build the fire..And the fire started.. So this prove that guys actually need the help of gals sometimes and vice versa... And this incident reminded me of a GP essay I did in the prelims which goes something like this: " The world will be a better place if women ruled. Do you agree?"

Gal of Da moment who helped built the fire...

Yup... Had great fun cooking... But usually the people who barbecue dun usually eat the food they cook. And the ppl who eat are those who dun cook. Haha... Probably the ppl who barbecued the food saw how chao da the food were....

Yah... As in most bbq... There's alcohol brought to this one. Johnson brought some vodka and everyone mixed juices and the alcohol together. Johnson mixed one that did not taste like alcohol at all, which I really like... Cos i dun like the bitter taste of alcohol but the one johnson made was sweet. i took so a lot of sips until johnson said that there's still alcohol even though it does'nt taste like it.

Yup... But the guys really drank a lot until they were very red and half drunk. How i knew them to be half drunk? Cos they were in a daze and sometimes smile to themselves. And I had to call their name many many times before I could get their attention.

Yah... And there was this guy who got very 'happy' by the effect of alcohol and started hugging all the other guys and chasing them around.. The scene is very disturbing and hair-raising to see him hugging and grabbing at other ppl.

Cheng Wei: Someone... Saave me....

Actually I have absolutly nothing against drinking... As long as no one gets drunk. I myself took a few sips last night. But I took the drink as i would as any other soft drinks. There's no sense of guilt or pride when I sipped the alcohol because I took it merely as a drink. A drink is a drink is a drink. As long as there's no ill side effect. But when ppl drink alcohol because they are addicted or they would become drunk then I think its wrong.

Personally I dun really like alcohol because of the bitter taste. But the one I sipped last night was quite sweet and tasted like Heaven and Earth's Green tea. Yah... But I was careful to not drink much cos i dun want to become drunk... Haha... I dun know but being drunk is like losing control of your actions, you words and your thoughts... Its basically losing yourself lah... I want to be in control of everything I do.

Yup, that aside.. We took some class photos...

Class gals...

Yup... We ended quite late... But managed to catch the last bus...

Millie and Huiting on the bus...

KL trip

2005-12-14T17:38:00.000+08:00

I went to KL last week.. Went on Monday and only got home on Saturday night... Daddy din go with us so its just the four of us.. Yeah.. Girl Power? Haha.. At first, the whole family is quite worried and anxious cos its quite dangerous for a group of girls to go travelling in a strange foreign land.. Yup.. But once we got into Malaysia, our fears were forgotten and we looked forward to the whole trip.

We spent 4 days in KL and we stayed at the Renaissance Hotel which is very nice.. The service there is good but the food there is so expensive.

President Kirk signing documents.. Dun disturb...

A glimpse of how our room looked.

mIrRoR mIrRoR on tHe wAll, wHo's fAirEst oF ALL?

What Do you think this is? Cabinet for clothes?

Nope.. Its for TV...

Three of us...

Us together

Me and Sabrina...

We shopped for a full 3 days!! Haha... Bought a lot of things.. We shopped at chinatown and the KL Petronas Twin Tower... Yup.. The petronas twin tower is so huge.. Here's a picture there...

I think KL is a nice place.. But one disadvantage though.. There's a lot, a lot of traffic jam.. Its jam all the way... Very hard to get to places...

On thursday, we left KL and headed for Genting Highlands.. Yup.. This is our Genting Hotel room number...

There's so many many ppl in Genting. The whole place is fully packed that even a ride on a roller coaster require a wait of 30 mins. Haha... 30 mins of waiting for 1 min of fun...

In the que for 10 mins...

After 20 mins...

Ahhh.. Finally...

We stayed in Genting Highlands for the next 3 days... Haha.. I was looking forward to Genting cos I want to try the casino there. But me and my mum stood outside the casino and found out from the notice that age limit is actually 21.. Haizz.. So sad.. But i decided to try anyway. Walk in looking calm but feeling not so calm.. I was beside my mum and I got through the machine scanning for metal and was in the casino.. And I took a few more steps... And got stopped by the guards...

" Girl, can I see your passport please?"

Sianz... Haizz.. But never mind.. I din want to gamble anyway, just wanted to see what's like in a casino. Hmmm. have to wait 3 more years. Guess I really dun look 21 huh?

Well, Genting's got a Theme Park anyway so its still quite fun. Hmmm. But only we three sisters went to the theme park.. Mummy went into casino.. Haha.. Cos she dun sit the rides anyway so its no use she going with us.

the theme park is great.. But one bad thing though... There's THREE of us.. But most roller coaster are only TWO sitters... So one of us have to be alone... Yah...

Angela and Sabrina paddling hard...

Me paddling even harder cos its a single effort...

But we steered the two boat together so its 3 ppl in 2 boats...

New World Hotel behind us.. Really colourful.. Haha..

Me and Sabrina being stupid...

On the bridge..

Irritating yellow shirt guy...Spoil my pic..

Photo magic!!!

OMPM ( Owe Money Pay Money)

*sniff sniff* why are my sisters fighting?

Yup.. Thats about it for my KL trip... Till then.. i'll be busy finding a job...

Searching for jobs

2005-12-12T15:37:00.000+08:00

Just got back from KL and Genting on Saturday night.. Well, shall blog about my trip later lah... Anyway I tried looking for a job as a secondary school relief teacher.. Called more than 20 schools and left my contacts with them... I realized I really should not try calling good and prestigious schools.. They are good and prestigious for good reasons...

I tried calling one school. PLMGS...

Operator: May I have you name pls?

Me: Kirk Hui Min Yvonne

Operator: Kirk? Are you a Chinese?

Me: Yes...

Operator: Oh.. That's a unique surname... Can I have your prelim's breakdown?

Me: Oh... Urm... Math I got O..

Operator: Huh? O? How come so lousy?

Me ( Dun know what to say) : Urmmm... Because I'm not very good at Math?

So embarrassing!!! Okay and after calling that school, I decided to call only neighborhood schools... Haizz... I really want to teach as a relief teacher..

God.. Pls send a school in my way... Pls let a teacher be on maternity leave...Amen...

Prom Night

2005-12-03T17:54:00.000+08:00

Haha.. Just went for Prom last night..Its very fun and everybody looked so different!

I did my hair and makeup at parkway.. My hair was done at a neighborhood salon.. Mummy's friends came down to watch me do up and Amgela's friends were there too.. And it was like, so many people squeeze into a tiny salon.. My stylist was quite stressed.. I din request any hairstyle and let my hairstylist zhi yu fa hui..So he temporarily permed my hair..When I saw my hair,I was abit shocked cos its so curly.. But the hairstylist told me to trust him so I trusted him...

Then I did make-up at Anna Sui.. For free.. Well, sort of.. Cos Mummy bought some of its products and they offer free make-up.So I did my make-up here.

Doing my makeup

Can you spot Sabrina taking picture?

Me and Sabrina..

And then I went home to change into my dress..

Taking photos with the 'Ubi Aunties' (Mummy's friends)

My family...

Me and Ah Mui..

Ah Bu Ner, Me and Ah Mui..

Yup.. So I went to Regent Hotel for prom.. I was the first gal to reach lor.. Haizz Cos got traffic jam at Orchard Road. Only 4 class gals went for prom.. But we all looked so different!!

From this...

To Prom Night!!

And the class guys morphed from class gangsters...

To gentlemen...

And prom started... Daniel Ong from 98.7FM was the host and he was quite funny I think... Haha... And we played games.. One game was where each table have to select one member and he/she have to stand on the chair and let the rest decorate him/her.. So our table unanimously choose David. And he stood on his chair while the rest(actually only the guys) decorated him with napkins, roses..

Actually David's decoration was relatively mild.. I saw a guy with a plastic bag over his head.. And another had a plate inserted into the back of his trousers...

Oh.. And I won something from the lucky draw.. My ticket number was 117.. Haha. But its not something big like mp3.. Its a pendant+necklace from Perlin's Silver..

Oh.. And I din feel quite well that night so I gave my potion of my food to David.. Haizz.. Yah.. So sad cos the food was quite nice.. Haizz...

Michelle Niagm from S06 won the title of Prom Queen.. She's really pretty.. Yah.. Too bad I dun have a picture of her.. She looked really elegant....

And after prom we took photos...

Me and Zhi Hui...

Huiting, Me and Millie

Me and Justin..

Cheng Wei, me and Eugene

Me, Yee Kiat and Millie

Me and Johnson...

And last of all...

04S07!!!

Shopping

2005-12-01T15:00:00.000+08:00

Went shopping the past few days searching for prom stuff..

Haha.. But I think I've got almost all my stuff already..But must really thank my Mum and Angela and Sabrina for shopping with me.. Haha.. They're all my fashion consultant.. Without them, I wun know what to match and wear.

Haha... One thing I learnt from preparing for prom...

Never, never, ever buy a shawl.

Me and Angela were searching for a shawl at Orchard Road. And we went to Daniel Yam and such stores... And for a simple plain shawl, it cost above $50!! At first I picked some plain,light pink shawl and I thought... Okay, this should cost the most 20 bucks... and I looked at the price tag and my I got a shock... $69...

So me and my sis decided to go DIY ( Do It Yourself)... And we went all the way to Arab Street to pick some nice cloth material.

Yup... There's so many many different types of clothes. Cotton, silk, chiffon... So my sister and I decided on Organza... Its kinda of a stiff, semi- transparent material... Its blue in colour but under different lightings, it will turn purple... Yah.. We bought 2 metres of the material and it cost $9...

Then we brought the cloth to a tailor and she sew 2 shawls for us.. Cos 2 metre is too long for 1.. Haha... So I have 2 shawls of the same colour... And we bought iron- on beads for the shawl..

Haizz... But when I reached home and tried matching the shawl with the prom dress... It dun really match.. So I'm going to use a white one I already have... Haha... Waste of a trip? Haha.. Not really... At least I know what to do the next time I need a shawl..

Yah.. Making your own shawl is so so so much cheaper than buying it at the shops... Anyway, what's important about shawls are that they are of the right colour, material and quality... Haha...

Hmmm... But kinda sad... Wun be using the shawl I made.. Haha.. But I think should have other occasions to use bah...

Tomo would be prom already... Haizz.. Somehow, i'm kinda dreading it... Now I'm trying to think of a good reason or purpose to go to prom... To dress up? To socialise? Take photos?... Dun really know... But since I'm already going... Might as well go happy...

Haha... But dun know how the others will look. Casual? Formal? I would only know tomo...

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

2005-11-28T21:03:00.000+08:00

Yeah.. I just watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire... Seriously.. I think its highly inaccurate. It does not follows the book at all and for 2 hours plus.. Its too short for such a thick book...

I enjoyed reading the book but my impression of the characters in the book differed greatly from the characters protrayed in the movie...

My impression of Albus Dumbledore from the book was that he was a very calm and stately person. A very powerful wizard and there was never any fear in him. He understands his students and attempt to connect with them.

Yet,in the movie.. He seems to be quite afraid of the dark powers. He does'nt appear as powerful and calm as I expected... Oh and Dumbledore in the movie wears an ugly,green, shortcap... I dun know.. But the Dumbledore I imagined wear a grand hat.. Not a green cap.

I think Hermione looked really pretty...

Hmmm... But i dun understand.. If i'm Harry, I'll do what he did in the third book... That is to turn back time and erase all present mistakes. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry and Hermione used some magic and turned back time to rescue Sirius Black and Buckbeak.

If I'm Harry Potter, I'll turn back time again to save Cedric Diggory...

Quite useful, I think.. Being able to turn back time. There'll be a lot of things I would change, mistakes I would erase, if I'm able to turn back time...

But then again, I'll turn back time so often that I wun really learn from mistakes. And I think mistakes are a part of life. We learn and we grow because we make mistakes...

When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.

Hugh White

Getting started

2005-11-23T16:10:00.000+08:00

Yup.. This is my first entry for the blog.

Hmmm.. Why Autumn Leaves?

Well, I think Autumn is like the beginning of the end. It falls before winter and after summer. Its a time where leaves turn from green to brown, slowly wither and falls to the ground.

I think leaves kinda symbolises our memories and experiences. It would one day fade away with us when we expire. And no matter how rich our experiences and memories are, no matter how 'green' our leaves once were; it would slowly 'wither' when we age and 'falls' to the ground when we return Home.

Yup... So the purpose of this blog is to share with ppl the going ons of what's happening around me. And more importantly, its to record down my memories and experiences and stuff that i'd learnt. Hmmm... And I realised that I can't remember events very well. So maybe this blog would tell me how I have lived my life...

Autumn

wind sped leaves

colors blurred in light dance

then clear

again as motionless

each poses crisply

on the ground

in artful pattern

of design and hue

no sound till cool wind

blows againthrough its stillness

and lifts it fairy-like

in autumn air

Barbara Kelley