Now I remember... I'm still learning....

Today ... I was at a low...

What I heard and saw made me question my purpose...

But thanks to these angels below, Brian, BB and Joakim... I remembered...

Thanks for remembering... Thanks for helping me remember...

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said 'no', it starts when you say 'We' and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

- Marge Piercy, "The LOW ROAD"

Undoing all the good that was done...?

New 4D number... if only the number 1 was replaced by 7... keke.. then it'll be my special number...

While most Jedis and padawans were asleep this morning in their nice and comfortable beds.. 11 Simplevillians.. woke up at ard 5--6am to get ready for the run..

I was so sure my timing this year would be much worse than the last.

For one, my pacer for last year, "Master Pretty", did not take part in this run. No one was there to push me.... Weak.. I don't have the determination to do things on my own, as always I'm over-reliant on others...

Secondly, I exercised less this yr (no more dance concerts to train for) and after the recent health check.. I realised I gained weight again!!! Crap...

True enough... my timing for the 6km run was slightly under 1hr.. that's pathetic... I think last year's was either 45 or 50 mins..

Nevertheless, effort and sacrifices were put in and made...

1. Effort made to wake up much earlier... (even earlier than normal school days..)
2. Effort made in running (plus walking in my case)
3. Sacrificed my two big toenails.. (improper footwear n running method caused blue black on my toes.. they'll most probably drop off again.. )
4. Sacrificed my time which could have been spent setting 'killer' papers for my padawans...
5. Sacrificed by being drenched in the rain...it felt like some sort of cleansing, rather refreshing (It rained at my last 1km.. and I was soaked - hopefully, the flu vaccine which was 'mercilessly' jabbed into me this week will be in effect...)

The exercise was good.. and I felt that something was achieved...at least some calories were burnt... but then..... I had to undo it all by eating Prata with cheese and sausage + Egg Prata + Teh Tarik.. with the other Jedis.. to the effect that I may have gained more calories than I burnt... then I questioned myself why bother running in the first place.....

It just takes one or two characters to undo all the effort and sacrifices that have been put in and made.... In my case, they were the 'pratas' and the 'teh tarik'.

In a similar fashion, we realise that it takes one or two characters to undo all the good that had been done to maintain some sort of peace and equilibrum that we have all enjoyed and to undo all the efforts made to re-establish ourselves via the improvements made over the years...

And when that damage is done, very few would consider the progress that have been made over the years and most would just remember the bad, because it's the end result that is there for all to see.... Unfair, isn't it?

But do we surrender? Do we give up? Do we beat ourselves because we think we have failed?

No, I think not... in fact.. I think we need to fight even more (please ah... figuratively not literally)... we need to redeem ourselves as a WHOLE.. including all the 'prata' culprits...

And that's precisely why, I'm looking forward to the next challenges...

2.4 km test run on ACES Day 31 Aug
6km Public Service Quarter Marathon on 9 Sept....

Finally the Oral Exams period is over....

5th year running.... but this is the worst ever... not so much due to the candidates but due to the fact that I've been going back to school on most evenings after the Oral exams to finish up my work.....

In 2005, I had the time to write 8 entries on this event... Gone were those days....

So I shall just consolidate the 'best' moments @ MorningGlory in one entry...

Here goes:

#1 Always think before you say anything about your examiners...

ExaminerA: What is fashion to you?

Candidate: ......... blah blah blah..... I think it's better to wear bright coloured clothes. Those who wear black or dark coloured clothes are usually very dull and boring.

Examiners A&B: (Turn to each other and realised that both were in black, then face the candidate)

Examiner B: So are you trying to say that we are dull and boring since we are both wearing black.

Candiadate: Erm.. No .. Erm... I mean SOME... people who wear black are boring. (sheepish grin)

Examiners A&B minds: GRRRHHHHHHHH.....

#2 Do not mispronounce words especially if they take on a new meaning when mispronounced.

Examiner A: How can the younger generation contribute to the society?

Candidate: The younger generation can provide free caning services at the old fox home.

Examiner A & B (Controlling controlling.. crap.. one couldn't control... started laughing... the other upon hearing the first examiner's laughter, laughed too...)

Candidate (looks confused.. wondering why these two examiners are laughing at him..afterall, what's wrong with providing free cleaning services at an old folks home.)

Examiner A's & B's Minds... (Students armed with canes, spanking the old foxes at the old folks homes...It's free after all )


#3 The many versions of pronounciation for BLACK LIMOUSINE

Version 1: Brack lee- mouse
Version 2: Black Lim - mou - sign
Version 3: Back Lim- moose - nee
Version 4: Brack Lim- Mo - Seng... ( sounded so much like Lim Bo Seng)

The ultimate version said by a 21 yr old candidate:
Version 5: Brack Lam Mo Zee Nee (Sounded so much like Lambourghini... wahahahahah...esp when she stressed the LAM)


#4 Do not crack your knuckles especially when your examiners have a compulsive behaviour of cracking theirs...

Not sure if this is the norm... but when one hears someone else cracking his knuckles, will there be an urge to do so too.... If this is so, why?

Candidate A: blah blah blah... crack crack... blah blah..

Examiner A (Listening to the candidate): Crack crack as well...

Examiner B (Listening and controlling... mind goes: don't crack don't crack...then Arrrghhh.. what the heck..) : Crack crack crack crack ... neck also crack.

#5 Weirdest response...

Examiner A: What is your view on fashion?

Candidate: Erm.. I think fashion is sex abuse.

Examiners: ??????????????????????????????????????????????

#6 Know your Prime Minister...

Examiner B: Do you think our society is taking care of the elderly well?

Private Candidate: Oh yes... according to our Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew...

Examiner A (interupts): Mr Lee Kuan Yew is not our Prime Mnister anymore.. (smiles to put her at ease)

Private Candidate: Oh ya... I mean according to our Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong...

Examiner A & B (Simultaneously): NO IT"S NOT!

Private Candidate: Oh sorry, erm, so who is it now?

Examiner A: It's Mr Lee Hsien Loong.

Private Candidate: Oh ok.. erm..Our Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that..... er... sorry... what was your question again??? (Frowns frowns frowns...)

I'm full of Crab... Literally...

This is the name of a rather famous Crab 'restaurant' /coffeeshop.... Was laughing when I saw the English sign cos it seems like a mis-spelling of Melbourne.. (occupational hazard!) I've heard of it many years back while I was still at AJC and back then I told myself I've got to try it someday..... 10 years later..... that day came

It was absolutely by chance... No planning whatsoever... Was actually conducting EL oral exams at a school nearby. My examiner partner had her dinner there the night before and she was raving about it.

"You must try the chilli crab.. oh oh.. the claypot crab with chu mi fen is also very nice.. Just add $3 and you'll get more soup.. wah.. the crab is very fresh.. really.... etc etc... "

Yup... this is what examiners talk about in between candidates... keke.. (exposed..)

Was hesitating as I was walking over.... (cos was reminded that I had the Sheares Bridge Run this Sunday... oh no.. ) but told myself not to think... just do.. or rather in my case just eat... It was a good thing I managed to get a table for my family.. the queue was incredibly long for a Tues. By 7pm, there was a long queue snaking to the carpark area... If I hadn't gone earlier (was there before 6pm, but the food and my family came at 7pm), I may not have had the patience to stand in line and wait. Had a sumptuous dinner though it burned a hole in my pocket.. but definitely worth it... Yet, I don't think I'll come back again anytime soon...

It took me 10 years to finally get to eat at this place... amazing how time flies... and if I had not gone for it today... I most probably never will... cos it's one of my few last days as oral examiner at that nearby school and I'll most probably forget about it.... Then it'll be another missed opportunity...

That's life... sometimes when the opportunity comes.. just go for it.. don't wait cos you may never know what may happen... in my case. I was lucky enough that MELLBEN Seafood restaurant survived so long.

Some say that good things are worth waiting for... like in the case of Il Mare / Lake house.. (that'll be another blog topic altogether.. when I do find the time) Don't rush into things for you may make the wrong decision... let time be the judge...

But sometimes... things may just slip you by and for all you know, you'll never get to get that oppotunity back again.. I've been waiting quite a lot lately... to the extent that I'm not even sure what I'm waiting for... Should I just wait longer and perhaps forget about it... or should I just heck it and just go for it?

I guess I'll wait... for how long.. I do not know... I may not even see it come.. It's too unpredictable...

All I know is this.... I full of crab... literally... and CRAP! I suddenly remembered that there's health check tmw!

Changes...

3 years ago, this project came to mind...

It started out raw, rather messy but nevertheless fun...

This year, this project has evolved. Padawans do the filming on their own... No more cardboard TV frames. No more news runners made from strips of papers. No more hushing other gps while filming....

No doubt this year's projects may still be a little rough with lots of room for improvement....

But the key is this... we are constantly experimenting.. pushing ourselves each time... keeping up with the times... Cliche as it may seem... change has become a universal constant...

It's always easy to tell others to change but it's not easy to change, not easy to let go of what you already have or feel. Sometimes the inertia is too great... or the mind is willing but the flesh is weak... Anyway, nobody said it was easy... you just have to persevere on and you'll discover your strengths along the way.... So padawans.. make that change for the better today....

Meanwhile... here's a sneak preview of the projects which I've received thus far...(Due date was 18 Aug) Enjoy...

Gp 1 (Have yet to see theirs due to some techincal errors.. no dvd rom in our Comp Lab!!!), Gp 2 & 3


Gp 4


And the best gp.. Gp 5... CTC is simply hilarious... A MUST WATCH due to a special Guest Star... You'll know what I mean after you watch it...

Singapore Fireworks Festival Finale... Team France

The wait.... 5 hrs...

The crowd.... Scary...

The pain.... Heartache, backache, 'bladder' ache, hunger....

The mistakes... Camcorder's battery went flat (luckily, I've a back up camera... ) & not taking hints...

The joy.... Come and gone in 14 mins.... plus memories...

The climax.... indescribable... I've never seen fireworks exploding fr the waters before... nor the skies covered with so much gold dust... (hmmm or have I... Vague memory of it though...)

The video... Nowhere near the actual fireworks... but at least, it's something to remember it by... The pics n videos are the only things I can still hold on to.... Images froze n stored to remind me of beautiful memories and of little ironies...



NB: The quaility and duration had to be reduced to fit into YOUTUBE.. You may need to refresh if the downloading is too slow...

This is for those who missed the frontal view... e.g. those who were behind the Merlion.those busy snapping photos and those at home (studying or not studying for mock exams)... keke...

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO SINGAPORE & MOI!!! keke...

United as One... Dedication 3 aka 4E3...

Following the Very Special Walk.. was a long overdued trip with my Padawans (sadly 4 were not with us) Anyway, I was mistaken as 'one of them'... hmmm a great change fr the "auntie"....

The play is over for now... it's time to show me the hard work and the results...

Less talk, less soccer, less computer, less msn, less blogging, less hair, less nails, less coloured socks.. etc... and MORE RACIAL HARMONY, MORE EFFORT, BETTER ATTITUDE, BETTER GRADES etc... !!!

#1 United as one... (sadly, four couldn't make it..)

#2 Who's the Boss of Orange Julius?


#3 And they said they were not afraid.... (Sat this viking thrice... heart almost dropped after that... It became boring after awhile.. so we started singing YMCA (with actions... dun play play... ), and the World Cup team song!)

#4 Vomit-induced Ride ... (Not a wise move... After spinning like crazy.. not once but twice simultaneously, we almost puked... Luckily, I brought medicated oil... super aunty.. super unglam..)

#5 Have a Break... Have a Burger King.... (Couldn't take the spinnings.. so we had a break... )

#6 Angels and Demons... (These two stayed overnight in school when it wasn't even necessary.. haiz.. they didn't sleep the night before.. plus the camp food n the rides... Oh in case, you were wondering... that's not a halo.. it's just the light shining through the cut out in the display board at the back... He's no angel... keke..)


#7 Soaked.... (Soaked in happiness, unity and love... Now... BACK TO STUDIES and no more playing!!!!)

A Very Special Walk...

A Very Special Walk ~ A donation drive for the needy and autistic pupils from two different schools. The drive culminates with a very special walk that has 3 different paths but one goal/end-point.

The day started real early for me.. Had to meet the padawans at 6.30am.. Then it was the special walk... I had fun and I could tell that the padawans enjoyed it...

A seemingly simple event... but actually lots of hard work put in...

Yet another fruitful event? I guess it'll be fruitful when we learn something from it..

Be it the learning to help another person in need through donations or deeds....
Learning to accept one another as equals....
Learning to be united as a class....
Learning to be proud of your school....
Learning to appreciate nature....
Learning to appreciate each others' talents
(no matter how special or unique one is)....
Learning to be thankful for God's precious gifts to us....

But what left me really impressed were the spontaneity, competence and confidence of the Pathlighters... (esp the performers, the videographers and the photographers)

Kudos to you little ones... your lives have indeed been transformed...

May it'll be the same for our padawans... Make it happen...

Some AVSW pics from moi...

#1 Sunrise @ 7.45am

#2 A Very Special Walk.. not "run" not "skate"

#3 Partial 4E3 ...(Not all present... some late.. as usual.. some were preparing for the Cheerleading performance)
#4 Doggie (Didn't think I'll meet a familiar face... not the dog.. but the doggie's owner.. )#5 Song Dedication (She seems confused about her song choice.. In the end, Geek in the Pink was picked...)
#6 Beauties and the Beast (How apt? ... keke.. Sorry Mr Felix)

#7 War Games (Ohhh.. it's been a long time since I've seen these toys.. )

#8 War Zone.. (Hmmm a rather 'violent' game considering there are many kiddos ard..)

#9 I wanna play... (Now... now.. little girl.. this game's too violent for you.. plus u r vertically challenged to play the game...) #10 Prizes... (And the prizes for playing the games.. "Congrats" Shoban for winning the "Songs for our Children" CD.. I'm sure you'll put it to gd use.. keke...)
#11 Discoveries....They discovered something... He discovered Gold! (What a rare candid shot.... Can't help laughing at this pic..)

#12 Class Tee... (As we were walking, 4E1 was doing this to their class tee.. so did we.. & in a PAP manner.. The padawans started chanting.. "Vote for 4E3" repeatedly.. Tsk Tsk... haiz.. what a way to disturb the tranquility at the Pasir Ris beach.)
#13 Pathlight where lives are transformed... (Through this event, one can clearly see the potential in these special children. They are simply adorable.. )

Closing the chapter....

*design of class T-shirt by Situ Huijie

The first cycle is finally over...

This is the first batch of students whom I had the chance to watch them grow from Sec 1 back in 2002 when I was just a trainee teacher... till this year when I finally get to see all of them graduate.. Taught them EL & CME at Sec 1, EL & Sci at Sec 2 and EL & CME at Sec 3 & 4.

Their sizes may hv changed, their voices may hv 'cracked', and their mentalities hv definitely changed, but some things just remain the same.. their humour (or rather lameness)... their coyness... (or rather lack of)... their idiosyncrasies which we hv all grown to know n sometimes laugh at.. n the fact that I know that their hearts are in the right place... (despite not handing in their hw on time, wearing socks of diff colours, indifferent abt the rules at times... hmmm.. the list goes on.. keke)

Didn't get to teach any Sec Ones after 2003 until this year and if I get to follow them through for the next four to five years.. I'll walk through another cycle with another batch of young padawans for the whole of their duration at Simpleville.. That'll mean 10 years of service as a Jedi... Whooahh... Not sure if it'll ever happen.....

So for now.. I'll treasure my remaining 46+34 days (keke) with the graduating classes of 2006 before their O Levels begin... and make sure they'll do their best fr now onwards... and may the force be with you...

Oh and before you leave us... write something nice for ur Jedis... keke... I repeat NICE... http://www.teachersday.sg/

If this was your last day on Earth, how would you wanna spend it?

Just watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy.. my latest fav show..

Meredith almost died.. and the person she thought of before that was the person she loves but lost.. but as the saying goes... It's better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all.

The ending opened a floodgate of memories.. but the last line for the episode left me thinking...... and I'm still not sure what my answer will be .... so I'm throwing it in here... perhaps you would hv an answer... perhaps the answer is very simple too... .. and it could be the same as mine...

If this was your last day on Earth, how would you wanna spend it?

Exerpts fr the last one minute of tonight's episode.....

MEREDITH: Lavender. (he steps back in) My hair smelled like lavender from my conditioner.

DR. SHEPARD (nods): Lavender. (smiles) Huh.
(He leaves and Meredith starts to head back up to her room)

MEREDITH"S VOICE OVER: If this was your last day on Earth, how would you wanna spend it?

Strangely, my hair does smell of lavender now.......