I reached City Hall at 6.30 after school and managed to reach home by 9.30. It's like one of the fastest shopping done as far can I can remember. The 3 hours included dinner at Raffles City, followed by a brisk walk to Suntec City to look for THE white dress I needed.
It's good to be decisive when time's a luxury.
Stressful but still, I'm glad it's a fruitful trip.
Not that I had much choice.Labels: Uncategorized
Serendipity believed today at 10:03 PM
I thought a white dress would be an easy thing to find. Just look into the shop for white clothes area and then zoom in on them.
I was wrong.
It's definitely not easy to look for a particular colour outfit 3 days before I am supposed to wear it. I would have to squeeze out time tomorrow after school to look for it in town.
Sigh.. 1 thing leading to another.
It's going to be another busy week for me again.
Shall kick my troubles aside and head straight to bed now before I turn into a full-fledged zombie.
Serendipity believed today at 12:47 AM
I think I saw Jeanette Aw yesterday at Suntec. However, I couldn't really be sure it's her though. It's strange that some celebrities have faces which although are very very pretty and supposed to be distinguishable, in person, at times you doubt they were the ones whom you really saw. I guess this separates celebrities from stars. Stars have star presence. To me, they have to be of a certain height and very outstanding features. A face that is so outstanding that at a glance, you'd know it's him/ her because no one else could look that alike. The person I saw seemed really like her, very sweet and pretty looking but from the back, the person seemed to be walking in a rather weird way. Like legs were a bit too far apart if you know what I mean :P. I wonder if Jeanette walks that way heh.
The weekend has come and is almost gone. Time passes very quickly. In times of being down in the dumps, I'm glad there is a friend who still remembers me from time to time and makes an effort to drop an sms to ask about my life and ask to meet up though time does not permit me to do so currently. A friend who's always willing to provide me with a listening ear and is encouraging.
I hope you are able to apply for leave successfully to go on your much deserved holiday. Everyone needs to get away from time to time. One only knows what one has been missing when one has been out there in this big big world.
Speaking of holidays. WJ and I are still discussing about going on a backpacking holiday to Thailand and Vietnam during the school holidays. Nothing has been confirmed yet though because I'm still in a dilemma about my career direction - whether or not it's heading in the correct one "-_-
Still, it's nice to talk about such things and make little little plans here and there instead of the usual discussion about work. :DLabels: Uncategorized
Serendipity believed today at 10:58 PM
A friend recently mentioned very simply, "You should work to live and not live to work." In other words, one shouldn't end up being a slave to one's work. That's well said but of course, easier said than done. We are living in a time where we find ourselves driven by money and being slaves to work.
Once again I stayed back for the tuition programme. I really wonder why the teacher who signed up in the first place always cannot make it. Even my neighbouring teacher commented that it seemed to be a weekly thingie that I got to stay on for. Well, it's good money so I can't really complain about it haha...
However, I do feel really tired in the day. To the extent that I could get over emotional when pupils do not bother to listen when I explain to the class and I have to repeat to individuals again and again and again. It's really very trying and draining. Young children may think I'm overreacting but for me, it's an accumulation. I feel like a parent and a teacher all rolled into one for all 30 pupils.
Just a drop of blood and my lesson gets interrupted. I get interrupted.
Yet, work just keeps being added on for us. Admin, admin and more admin matters.
*sweat*
Serendipity believed today at 10:34 PM
I don't wish to repeat myself but it's a really crap feeling having to work on a weekend. I know some people are going to say to just enjoy myself at the event or something but it's supposed to be a long weekend ok? How often do we have holiday on Friday?
Sigh... Anyway I have to deal with it I guess...
-
Something strange happened today. A couple of weeks or three weeks ago while I was shopping online. I came upon a fake leather bag that's made of patchwork. I was interested in purchasing it but the seller did not reply my email. My conclusion was that the site was actually not in operation anymore and the owner didn't shut it down either. Today at Bugis Kino, I actually happen to see a lady carrying a similar bag. It's a bag with a very unique design so I was super surprised to see it. Haha... such a coincidence :DLabels: Uncategorized
Serendipity believed today at 3:21 AM
It's always nice to receive parcels. Even parcels which you've been expecting. Yes, even parcels which contains things you bought for yourself haha... The Little Prince diary came today! All the way from Korea. Along with it were 5 rubber stamps. Each with a different scene from The Little Prince. Definitely not something that Singapore has. Perhaps a long long time later, it will be available in Singapore. Shopping in Singapore gets so boring. It's more enjoyable shopping in the middle of the night in the comfort of one's home :)
I'm beginning to feel like a social recluse.
Serendipity believed today at 8:53 PM
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Mat Selamat must be the most famous person in Singapore now.
Even primary school kids are cracking jokes about him now. Not the P2s of course. That would have been too extreme. They are more concerned about who cut whose queue and who called whose names.
Had sort of a conflict with a colleague today. What surprised me was that I thought she's an ok person, having sat next to her during a few contact time although not many words were exchanged during those times.
What irritated me was that she came right to my table and started saying this and that quite loudly and heatedly. It was about the arrangement of desks. My initial surprise came and went and anger just set in. Although I controlled it well, she should have been able to sense it.
She was pissed that I had moved the desks around. The classroom had a mixture of low and higher tables. Somehow I don't know why the lower pri pupils are sharing with the much older kids. Lower pri. pupils can be very short. I already have to bear in mind complaints from parents about who have been bullying their kids (so I can't put them together this term...) and also the learning abilities. Now it seems like the morning session teachers are ganging up and are responding in unison that the lowers desks shouldn't be here and there. Hello? There are MANY primary 2 classes with ALL low desks. Are the primary 5 teachers complaining about it? Why is there such hoo ha over this?
I have only 1 thing to say and that is:
Go eat shit.
Please lah, you upper primary teachers don't really have to bother about whether pupils are high/mid/low ability since they are already banded. I have so much on my mind and I'm doing all these things by myself for the bloody first time in my entire bloody life. Instead of trying to understand, you are fighting for your damn rights. Well, it seems to me you are. Stop using the phrase "subject teacher". I'm not a subject teacher. I am a form teacher. TEACHING ALMOST ALL SUBJECTS. ALMOST ALL MEANING 7!
7!
S-E-V-E-N!!
I believe I have every right to do things partly my way also. I think I've been too easy going with you people that you are climbing on top of my head. Think I'm easy to bully right? You are wrong. Let today be a lesson to you about that. Don't ever forget that as long as you live.
I hate that tone. You should really watch that. Perhaps you are old and unmarried and so you are venting your frustrations on someone new.
I didn't believe it when the trainer told her pri sch teachers are the worst. Now I do. Can you believe another teacher, the other form teacher who's sharing the classroom actually removed the Chinese teacher's charts? Without informing? Super rude. I was so appalled that I took the initiative to approach the Chinese teacher to explain to her in case she thought it was me.
No respect for others, how do you expect pupils to respect one another?
Shame on you adults.
Serendipity believed today at 10:03 PM
The title sounds kind of morbid doesn't it? Haha...
Anyway, the buried I'm talking about here is me being buried with work. Having to be on duty this Sat for hours plus a test with lots of Japanese words and phrases to memorize (and learn to write)makes me feel nervous about my schedule. It really doesn't help that before the Japanese lesson, there's going to be another meet- up to discuss the wedding. I wonder how I am going to cough up the time these few days to study for the test.
Not in the best of moods these couple of days too because I realized that the little ones are getting bolder. When I'm talking, they can be happily talking away, oblivious to my staring. Or glaring rather. I've resorted to making the class stand while I sit, to do their corrections and also to make those who did not do their homework or learn their spelling to stay in the staff room during recess to settle the stuff. I don't have so much energy to scold too much.
Punishing is so much easier on my throat.Labels: Work
Serendipity believed today at 8:19 PM
Just realized that the song "Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin" has a saxophone version by who else but Kenny G :D. Actually that song's so beautiful and touching that whatever version of it is as captivating as well. In years to come, I believe this song will continue to be passed on from generation to generation. It's already a classic.
Serendipity believed today at 1:18 AM
Serendipity believed today at 1:04 PM
Tomorrow is the day of planning our sabotaging tactics on the night of the wedding. Somehow I'm still not in the mood for it, more of like being in the mood for the buffet we're going to have while planning haha! It'll be the 2nd time I'm dining at the Straits Kitchen at Hyatt. This time it's for the buffet. If you're into local fare, this is the buffet for you. There's a wide range of Asian dishes. If you're into ang moh desserts though, then the desserts at the Straits Kitchen wouldn't really appeal to you I supposed. However, it's worth trying it out :)
I think I've mellowed over the years of being evil. In the past I would have jumped for joy at the opportunity to sabo and make fun of people (read: SC). However, it might be due to the fact that I don't really know the rest of the girls too. With all of us being so busy with our work, we're never even talked about the day when we're going to make the groom and his buddies "suffer" when he goes to fetch his bride.
Tomorrow we will sit down and do some major planning :)
Serendipity believed today at 12:23 AM
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWow42TCwzg&eurl=http://jeanette-aw.blogspot.com/
This was the sad fate of a cute little girl who was called home to be with the Lord when she was only 3. It's tragic how her life changed drastically after her mum remarried.
Adults are supposed to be around to take care of their children and to ensure a secure environment. Unfortunately this was not to be for Kelsey.
There was a price she had to pay for her mum's pleasure.
A heavy price indeed.Labels: Thought- provoking
Serendipity believed today at 10:08 PM
I can recall the words from Mrs Ivy Singh-Lim, former President of Netball Singapore. A belief that is very apt for the modern society where each of us is so pressed for time. She talked about an incident in primary school whereby she did something wrong in her homework or something and was severely punished for it. If I remember correctly, her book got thrown out of the window by the teacher then. Something along the line. This is an unthinkable act these days though haha...
Anyway, she said that the incident taught her to force herself to do things right the first time round instead of doing corrections. Hence, she grew up being very disciplined. Come to think of it, a lot of time can be saved when we put in effort for something the first time round instead of wasting time amending it later. That said, I'm sure under some circumstances, amendments and corrections are inevitable.
However, when I look at the homework of some of my pupils (those who fared badly), these are usually the ones who have not been putting in effort (the first time round) when doing their homework. Even their handwritings look like scribbles. They probably assume that it's ok to get it wrong and that they can just copy the corrections when I go through with them on the board. Worst thing is that time is of the essence always. Many a times, there's insufficient time to go through question by question. I can only select 1 question from each category to go through. In such cases, corrections will be followed by re-corrections. Re-re-corrections are also not a rare thing.
I have to remind myself all the time that they are still young and that I can't get all preachy and philosophical with them. I have to tell myself that they will change as time goes by. What I hoped for them to turn into now is pupils who feel secure (only then they can learn well)and pupils who listen and not just hear.
For now, I can only preach to myself.Labels: Work
Serendipity believed today at 11:23 PM
Attending the annual Sports Day on Friday made me think of my very own primary school sports day. There was a feeling of nostalgia because those were the days of glory. I had loved P.E. and the then annual Sports Day. Even having P.E. lessons would give me the adrenaline that no other lessons could give. The trophies and medals were and still are precious to me although I do not display them since from experience, layers of dust will form overtime. The venue was also the same as that on Friday. Those memories are really dear to me although I can't remember much in detail anymore.
The "excursion" that took place after that wasn't that bad since it ended earlier than expected. We were all beat after that and exhaustion could be seen on everyone's faces as we treaded on slowly and wearily.
However, I'm glad that a swop with a colleague would excuse me from having to burn up my break. Although I still don't really understand why he wanted to request for it since his duty is so much easier and doesn't require much commitment.
*Whew*
Serendipity believed today at 1:16 PM
Lugging a bagful of scripts, apart from my own bag, I was determined to drop by the shop, Phoon Huat, that sells baking ingredients of all kinds at Jurong. Somehow I've always wondered why they decided to use such an LC name for the shop but then, I guess it's the supplies they have that matters right? Hahah...
I want to bake something during this holidays. It's disappointing that the one week is almost burnt by last minute notification about a course, as well as props-making. However, it's important to do something I like once in a while before I grow mad. A couple of days back, I received a message from a parent in her daughter's diary. It wasn't put across very nicely and I don't know if she really meant it to be that way or not. Nonetheless, I have to admit that it irritated me. When I told mum about this, she exasperatedly said that parents these days seemed to be getting more and more bold. Questioning this and that. When we were younger (she meant bro and myself), they (my parents) weren't even like that. I've always wondered why they bother themselves with trivial matters instead of spending extra time on coaching? Perhaps one could say that I'm not a parent therefore I'm in no position to make judgments but come on lah, make sure you get your facts right before you write anything. If you don't even know what your offspring has been doing for more than ONE YEAR, then don't make a fool of yourself by bringing up a matter that only points to your ignorance of reality.
So many jokers in this world.
But then why aren't I laughing?Labels: Work
Serendipity believed today at 11:25 PM
Sometimes what's scary is not an end to something but the inability to see an end to it. Not knowing if you are walking in the correct direction to the treasure chest that's buried at a mountain far away out of sight fills you with self-doubt. No other modes of transport goes there so there's no way you would be able to hasten the process. You ask yourself if you would ever reach it. Then you ask yourself if you'd ever reach it by foot (not that you have much choice). Worst still, you ask yourself if you are even heading towards the correct direction.
I would like to think of myself as someone who has a strong sense of direction. Or perhaps I should say my intuition has often been rather sharp. I could take an unknown route and then hope that the path would somehow lead to the mall and I was right. Yet, when it comes to risky or major decisions in life, I'm often plagued by self- doubt. I calculate a lot, I weigh everything too much. However hard I try, I can't seem to change this tendency of mine.
Anyway to digress... A few days ago when I was at the bus stop, I began thinking of a song from a drama serial. It just popped up on my mind. It's a song that I have not heard for some time despite having the CD. When I got off and was walking along the route at BB which I would take everyday, to school, the song was actually being played from one of the radio stations!
Have you ever had similar experience?Labels: Uncategorized
Serendipity believed today at 10:32 PM
I'm working like mad.
Work keeps coming in faster than I can finish. Actually those work isn't difficult to execute, it's just that time is still needed for it. So I'm actually just rushing and rushing and rushing in case I get buried by the piles.
My pupils today act like they are going to the slaughterhouse again. Hahah... They're supposed to have their paper today just after recess. Since I was supposed to take another class back to their class and invigilate that class, a couple of my boys gave me high-fives. Until now, I'm still puzzled about why they were in such high-spirits. I think the bosses would have fainted had they seen such a sight.
I wonder if beetles are breeding in my house. Just within the past 7 days or so, I've encountered 3 beetles, all of which I've trapped in plastic bags and thrown either out of the window (not the plastic bags of course) or into the dustbin. It's such a horrible feeling thinking that beetles are breeding in this place. Gross! I only allow 4-legged non-humans in this house (read: hamsters and dogs).
Marking the scripts of this good class makes me feel a bit stressed. I wonder how the little ones will fair. They are always in a party mood. What we're short of is a disco ball in class. Just that.
Anyone wanna donate a disco ball?
Serendipity believed today at 10:38 PM
I managed to add in music to my blog finally. After my past failed attempts... The thing about Sonific is that I can add in different songs to the playlist and then if a visitor were to hang around at my blog long enough, he or she would be able to hear the music pieces change from one to another instead of repetitions for just 1 song. Just for now, I'm sticking to 2. The first would be Dreaming of You by Selena and next would be Canon D (Pachelbel).
Someone told me today that since it's their CA tomorrow, he's too excited that he guessed that he'd be waking up at 3am tomorrow. He most likely meant that he's so stressed that he wouldn't be able to sleep well. See how the way a kid expresses himself? "Stress" isn't in their vocabulary. They interpret it as excitement. Nonetheless, it's not very healthy to be that stressed until one couldn't sleep well! Not at this age!
Poor thing... He's a bright boy. Precisely because he's smart (or successfully nurtured), his parents are trying to stretch him beyond his limits. Works well so far though. I guess it all boils down to how a kid accepts such pressure.
Everyday when I listen to Canon D being played over the system in school before assembly, I have this urge to learn to play this piece too. I wonder how long would it take for a person without music background to just learn a piece like this excluding all the technicalities. In this case, just to memorize which key to press and what combination of keys at certain parts of the piece should be carried out.
Some time back, a cousin once emphasized to me the difference between hearing and listening. It was something that I have never done any contrasting on my part before. Therefore, it was quite refreshing hearing from him.
Very often, we do not listen. Instead, we only hear. We think we've absorbed the information and digested it, but much to our dismay later on, we realized that nothing much was retained in our minds and hearts. We do not even listen to ourselves when we're speaking and that results in careless use of words and nonchalance towards the feelings of others.
To me, listening to oneself results in the reverberation of the words in our hearts. The echoes from the reverberation will be thrown back to us as reminders of how others would think and feel upon listening to certain words. This remind us to be sensitive towards listeners whether they are children or adults.Labels: music, Thought- provoking
Serendipity believed today at 8:22 PM
I wonder how WJ is at the exotic country of Egypt. From the viewpoint of someone who yearns to travel now, she is one lucky thing to be sent on a business trip. Since I've never been on a business trip, it sounds like a wonderful experience whereby you get paid to learn new things from the course as well as the lifestyle of those people over there. However, she begged to differ then. I sure hope she's since sorted out her thoughts because 2 weeks is indeed a long time to be at a foreign land with people you don't know much about (that includes your colleagues too). But with her character, I think she'll be able to approach it with an open mind once she's there :D
Oh ya, and who says Arab countries are dangerous when here on our sunny island, we have a mad man (the JI fellow) running loose. Ok, not exactly literally running loose but still, he's hiding somewhere. Probably up in the tree playing hide and seek with the police and Gurkhas. Still, I have faith that he will be caught too. That said, one can never be too sure. For one, he's been out there for like 5 days? With a limp and supposedly no resource and yet with our efficient team of policemen, they're still unable to even get a glimpse of him. Apart from a sighting reported by a manager of a petrol kiosk, there're no other leads.
Anyway, hope they can nab him soon. Then those who are fearing for their lives will be able to heave a sigh of relief that their lives will not end at this point in time especially under such a ridiculous circumstance.Labels: Uncategorized
Serendipity believed today at 10:50 PM
The Leap Years wasn't so bad after all. However, the storyline in the movie did not end the same way as in the novella. It was less dramatic in the movie. I guess it wouldn't be practical to follow closely to the ending in the novella given the setting and the year.
On the superficial side of it, I still don't see what's so hot about the male lead, Ananda Everingham, who played Jeremy. Li-lin was very charismatic as usual. Actually there's something about her acting (even on TV) which draws me to her. It's just that the effect on me tend not to be lasting enough for me to like her a lot as an actress. Those scenes whereby she spoke Cantonese was nice and funny though :D It's a pity she doesn't seem to act in drama serials these days.
Chen Hanwei actually went to watch this movie too. He was just seating 4 seats away from me hahah... Such a coincidence. The other time, it was Priscilla Chan and Alan Tern who sat on the row behind us. Maybe Chen Hanwei was dying to find out why the role of KS went to Qi Yuwu instead of him since Qi Yuwu's English was kind of bad in the show. Perhaps that's the purpose, who knows ;P
Overall, the movie probably moved the hearts of many who were watching it. There were a few funny scenes too whereby Ananda appeared from nowhere like a ghost. Didn't help that he had long long hair too like a wandering artist (or soul..).
Just wished that the lady behind hadn't kept offering trivial information to her friend. She was commenting aloud who the narrator was and that Venetta Lopez would be marrying an American soon (in reality...) and that when KS got slapped by Nadya Hutagulang, he deserved it. Errr... I don't think we need to hear so much of your opinions and general knowledge when we're watching a movie. If I had wanted to know so much, I would have done some research online. "-_-
Watching the movie made me want to read the novella again (if I have the time...). However, like I said before, non-romantics or realist might say this is a crap movie (depending on whether they have stone hearts or not..). D found it touching too though :PLabels: Movies
Serendipity believed today at 3:30 PM
Don't Cry Joni by Conway Twitty
Woman- Jimmy please say you'll wait for me
I'll grow up someday you'll see
Saving all my kisses just for you
Signed with love forever true.
Man - Joni was the girl who lived next door
I've known her I guess ten years or more.
Joni wrote me a note one day.
And this is what she had to say.
Woman-Jimmy please say you'll wait for me
I'll grow up someday you'll see
Saving all my kisses just for you
Signed with love forever true.
Man- Slowly I read her note once more
Then I went over to the house next door
Her tear-drops fell like rain that day
When I told Joni what I had to say.
Man- Joni, Joni please don't cry
You'll forget me by and by
You're just fifteen and I'm twenty two,
and Joni I just can’t wait for you.
Man - Soon I left our little home town,
Got me a job and tried to settle down
But these words kept haunting my memory,
the words that Joni said to me.
Woman- Jimmy please say you'll wait for me
I'll grow up some day you'll see
Saving all my kisses just for you
Signed with love forever true.
Man - I packed my clothes and I caught a plane
and I had to see Joni. I had to explain,
how my heart was filled with her memory
and ask my Joni if she marry me
I ran all the way to the house next door
but things weren't like they were before
My tear-drops fell like rain that day
When I heard what Joni had to say.
Woman- Jimmy, Jimmy please don't cry
You'll forget me by and by.
It's been five years since you've been gone
Jimmy, I - (married) - your best friend John.
It's a song which I've heard before but have forgotten all about it until I went to a gift shop at Raffles City on Sunday and it was played there. I supposed it's a very old song but it's interesting how some songs reveal a whole storyline just like that. Simple and yet nice. It's the same for Tell Laura I Love Her. There's a story that develops in there.
Don't Cry Joni is a duet about how much an underaged girl loved her neighbour who refused to wait for her since she's, well... underaged. Hahaha... However, after moving, five years later, he finally realized that he couldn't forget her as well and wanted to tell her that in person. However, ironically this time, it's Joni who told Jimmy not to cry because she'd ended up marrying his best friend.
It's kind of sad or funny depending on how you look at it. Funny because of the twist at the end. Sad because it shows how love boils down to timing as well. You can be with a person at the same place but if the timing is wrong or seems wrong to at least 1 person, then nothing will develop. ;P
Serendipity believed today at 1:20 AM
