...

New url

2008-12-19T19:10:00.003+08:00

Dear all, i will stop posting on this blog and instead i have created a new blog with url:
tintin-leo.blogspot.com

beijing

2008-02-28T09:32:00.001+08:00

In case some people still don’t know, I am already in Beijing. A summary of what I had done there:

First day: 25 Feb Mon
Nothing much. Only reach Beijing at about 6pm. Walked around the streets at night.

Second day: 26 Feb Tue
Welcomed by the students in BeijingShiDaErFuZhong in the morning. During the afternoon we went to Tian An Men and a museum about Beijing’s city planning. That day is a cold and windy day. Brrr…But trust me, this outing is better than the other days. At least you can get a breather.

Third day: 27 Feb Wed
Official school day starts! Lessons from 8.15am until 5pm. Very sleepy and siantified throughout the day. Although have a 10-15min break between almost every lessons, it is still very boring. Maybe when I am free, I will type out my typical timetable.

Fourth day: today
When I am typing this it is 6am. This afternoon we will be going to Tian Tan, a renowned temple. Finally I can miss some lessons again. Will update.

Starting a new life...?

2008-01-05T10:15:00.000+08:00

I have just signed up Friendster and Facebook, can you guys add me as friends (if you think i am)?

I feel that i ought to keep contact with my 2I friends, thus i signed up. Actually i really have to thank Zhou Kai (64yrs old as stated in friendster) for inviting me, otherwise i may not signed up. Thanks!

Suddenly i feel so rejuvenated, and this seems to be more meaningful than computer games. After all, friends are so influential to everyone's life.

Sometimes i wonder if people will still read my blog, but now i think it doesn't matter; the important thing is that i say what i want.

Nightmare will start next Monday, and i doubt i will have much time to post again, but i will try, though.

Ok, bye.

...

2007-12-23T18:00:00.000+08:00

Merry X'mas! (although this might be too early) Happy going-back-to-school festival!

Well, i've got nothing to say, except that going-back-to-school festival is making me very depressed.

Let's not talk about going-back-to-school festival, what about x'mas? I bet you guys will receive a lot of presents, unlike me. Because my family doesn't celebrate x'mas, and that we don't have relatives in Singapore, thus i cannot expect to receive presents, right. At least there is a gift exchange among fellow tong-xiu, who have also qiu-dao. Hmm, how can i phrase it? We are like buddhists but slightly different. I will introduce my religion to you if you are interested.

It seems like the atmosphere is getting boring. I would better end here. Bye.

P.S. (In my religion) not= (must be vegetarian) =)

bored

2007-12-13T18:28:00.000+08:00

Although i finally get to maple every day, i think i'm getting bored of playing. Haiz, why is it like that. When i want to play, i can only play once a week. When i get bored of it, there's nothing much else to do. Haha.

Today played badminton with Ben and Aston and Astley. It's like so long since i go out with my friends. And during these days most of the time was spent on maple (4hrs), tv (3-4hrs), sleep (duh, 9-10hrs), and slacking (the rest). How did you guys spent your holidays? Haiz, don't even know if there are any people viewing my blog? If so, tag please, i will be very grateful.

4 days ago i forced myself to do 100 sit-ups everyday, hoping to have a better tummy, but now i have a debt of 52 times sit-ups...and i haven't do any today. I really have to train hard during this holidays. My stamina, arm, legs....everything.

Today is the first time i log on to msn since holidays, haha. Now i think i will msn more often to de-bored of maple. Ya, and more blogging too, perhaps. Okay, bb everyone. Don't get bored.

Bronze award..gotcha!

2007-11-27T13:53:00.000+08:00

Yes, finally i got my bronze award for swimming! But now i am still learning, maybe i should get a silver?

The terrifying BSP scholarship interview had passed too. Now i really don't care if i get the scholarship, i just enjoy the holidays. I believe this is the same for everyone.

Haiz....really don't have much to talk about. But i am getting bored being at home for almost the whole day (except mornings when i exercise). Whoever is going out, can you bring me along? Haha. Anyway i am not sure what how you guys spent the holidays.

Ok, gtg. Mapling time.

Next year...

2007-10-27T10:23:00.000+08:00

Finally the long awaited holidays! I can now play maple more often. lol. I wonder who is taking BSP? Is it that i will be in China for five months next year? It is so hard to imagine. Fancy living in a foreign land for about half a year! I will miss my family and friends and home so much =(. For the homeroom policy (i.e. no class), is it that we can choose our own groupmates? Let's pray that we won't be assigned into groups =), otherwise we might have to work with people that we don't like for TWO years.

How will next year be like? It will be a big transition, and i think in order to cope with the great pressure, it will be better to forget about maple and computer games =(. Haiz...

Luckily the holidays are really holidays, as in i only go to school 8 times for choir practices xD. I think my cca really has the least number of practices. Eh, actually not, librarians will be the slackest. Haha, good for them. Or is it a bad thing?

Enough crapping, i am about to go to JP to buy a laptop, as the principal Mr Hon says that we will need to use a laptop very often... Bye.

Back From OBS

2007-10-21T13:22:00.000+08:00

I think this title might be quite cliched in blogs already, haha.

Anyway, i would say that although it is tiring and tough, it is fun, especially for the following activities:

Most Interesting Activity: Tri-yaking
Brief description: It is just a kayak that allows three person to sit in. Before the actual tri-yaking the fun thing is the capsize drill. How to describe the fun? Experience it yourselves=).

Most Shiok Activity: A dip in a quarry
Brief description: The warm freshwater, together with the ease of doing whatever i want in the water because of the life jacket, makes the dip a fabulous activity. One will feel jing shen bai bei (felt invigorated 100 times more) after a hike.

Nothing much to write about OBS actually, and everyone will be bored to death by the time i finish telling my experience. But i really encourage everyone to participate in this course when you have the chance. You will be toughened up physically abd mentally after it.

Now i'm still waiting for the day that i can maple with my brother, and the criteria is that we are of the same level and my second computer is working. zzz..

I really wonder how you guys spend the days. Play computer games? Shopping? Watching TV?

Tomorrow there is the Festival of Sports and Health, and i have no choice but to participate in basketball. I really suck in that game, die le.

Sometimes i really don't want to stress up myself but there is the NYAA booklet waiting for me to complete. Sianz...can all these vanish immediately?

zZz...

2007-10-15T17:03:00.000+08:00

These days are still quite boring. zzz... But at least there is something fun. Today morning my primary school friends and i played badminton because today is one of my friend's birthday. It's been a long time since i meet up with them, and i think i ought to do a lot to preserve those precious friendships. =)

Having said that, class 2I will be separated next year, and it seems that the day is coming closer and closer... :( Sigh, why must the school shuffle everyone into different classes? I hope that the class will more or less be intact, though, as the class's 2 years of unity and bond is so precious and valuable.

Two more days to OBS. I am feeling quite apprehensive now. What activities are there? Will it be fun? It should be the case, and probably one's attitude plays a big role in the enjoyment one will get from this camp. Anyway why don't they give us the timetable for OBS? To keep the suspense? zzz...

Here wishing everyone an enjoyable experience. =)

The Boredom of Post-exams Period

2007-10-13T15:30:00.000+08:00

From now until next year school reopens, it is unlikely that my lifestyle will change. Except perhaps during EOYA and OBS.

This is, of course, due to mapling. Other than playing, i could not think of what i can do. Very boring. Read books? Do some exercices? Well, sometimes i do. Not that i maple whole day long--in fact i only play 1.5h everyday----yet i seemed to be obsessed in this game: I can't clear it off my mind.

I feel that after exams, there is always an emptiness in my heart: my goals of this year are already done. What should i do? Plan for what to do next year? Read Sec 3 textbooks? Only when i am mapling, then the emptiness disappeared temporarily. Really hope you guys can give suggestions. Because if this continues...

Anyway i should not be so pessimistic, and create such a gloomy atmosphere...so sorry.=) OBS is approaching, same as the holidays. Let's hope that these will happen soon and will be meaningful.=)

Hectic Week

2007-09-12T20:42:00.000+08:00

I am so sorry that i have not posted anything for a long time, =( but there is really too much work these days. I would not mention those horrible amount of homework once more, in case everyone became siantified. Haha.

There is something really wrong about my new computer's USB ports. The keyboard can be usable this time, and the next time it could not work again. Strangely, after i changed the USB port of the keyboard, it worked! So frustrating. Despite all these, i still managed to maple during the holidays, and my cleric (not exactly mine) finally levelled up (37)!

After exams i will be able to play as long as i want=), and i am really looking forward to that day. Haiz... Final year exams...

I got to do my work now. Bye! Good luck for the exams. =)

Holidays again

2007-09-02T19:25:00.000+08:00

Well, holidays are not only supposed for one to take the opportunity to revise for their exams, but also to have a break. However, i couldn't play maple with any of my two computers! Why must this happen to me?! Argh!

So what could i do? Mug whole day? Haiz...

2 weeks ago i took my swimming test-bronze only, sigh, and i haven't get my certificate. I only started learning this year, so much slower than most people. I wonder how many certificates do we need to go for NS? Hope bronze is enough. =)

There's lots of homework too. =( I think i should finish them asap so that i will have time to prepare for my final year exams. Do you agree?

Rashes!

2007-08-24T19:40:00.000+08:00

This is the worst thing one can have.

Yesterday my body started to develop rashes all over the place, and the itch could not stop. Only after i saw a doctor and took the medicine then the situation started to improve. However, during the middle of the night my whole body began to itch again. I checked my handphone-12mn! What the hell, how to sleep with this itchiness? I tried to go back to sleep, but the itch is simply killing me. Thus i woke up-already 1am. Ate some food and took the medicine again. Applied vinegar to my body (special remedy). Still itchy. But i really have to sleep, having to wake up at 5:20 am. Lying on the bed, tormented by the stubborn itch that clung onto my skin. Then i finally doze off (miraculously).

This morning i woke up-wow all the rashes are gone! But after i return home from school the itch started again! Why must this happen to me? Oh man. Only that this time it is only a small area suffering. It just seems like once i return home from school the scary itch starts to pester me. At this point of time the itch had finally subsided, only now and then the itch will start tingling on my arms or legs or neck.

I am not sure how i contracted this tormenting disease, but i really have to pray very hard not to get this ever again. Grrr..

Free from computer problems (hopefully)

2007-08-17T23:08:00.000+08:00

Finally, my new computer will stop giving me trouble (hopefully.) Whew...having changed the CPU, it should be working well, otherwise this just proves that i am too unlucky. I remember i can wait for my new computer going through disk check, startup repair, for as long as TWENTY minutes! Is this the performance of a brand new (problems arose during my SECOND time switching on the computer) Acer Window Vista computer?

Today, i went to someone's house to do Maths ace, given a time limit of 2 hours. (yes, a time limit) In the end, within my expectation, i played computer after 1 hour of "hard work". I played maple, lol. So that proves how weak is my self-discipline, haha. (i am only allowed to play one hour a week, though)

Conclusion: Almost tasteless day, except for the sweetness of playing maple for half an hour. =)

2007-08-10T09:39:00.000+08:00

This is my Chinese essay, and i hope that you guys will help me in improving it. One thing that i must say is that this story is entirely fictional. It is not true. =)

Feeling tired...

2007-08-04T21:35:00.000+08:00

One and a half hours of sports, and one whole day of revision and homework! These make me both physically and mentally exhausted.

At about 8:45 am, i played badminton with my younger brother. Miraculously, our skills did not impair, instead i think there is improvement! The weather is just nice: not sweltering but not windy as well. We brothers surely had a great time!

After that i started writing my Chinese fictional essay entitled "背影".

Having completed my essay, i continued on my History revision. I had gotten a C6 last term (very bad, right?), thus i am determine to do well this term. I am thinking if i have time to summarise some of the key points of the topics tested. This is because Literature revision is awaiting me, and i am left with only one day to revise! What's more...'Dear Sec 2 Ortus gentlemen (who must now be frantically preparing for the upcoming Literature test)'...

At 5pm, i went for my 1hour-swimming lesson. I have missed 3 lessons (due to: unwell, performance, conjunctivitis (take note of the spelling of this word, it it CONjunctivitis), fortunately i can still swim (dur? =)).

Conclusion: Tiring but enriching. Sweet day!

Conjunctivitis alert!

2007-07-28T19:49:00.000+08:00

Beware of the conjunctivitis disease!

However, it is perhaps too late for me. And all my family members. Now i feel very dizzy, lethargic, and nauseous whenever i drink or eat something very bland. Whenever i lower down my head, my eyes hurt. It certainly sounds weird, but these are indeed the terrible symptoms of conjunctivitis (at least in my case).

Now i cannot do my homework or revision for a long period of time, and this is definitely not the time to rest----exams are around the corner. I could only hope that i will feel better tomorrow.

Conclusion: A very bitter day. However, this incident teaches me to be careful not to spread contagious diseases.

New blog name, new blogskin, new topic

2007-07-25T20:12:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, certain events in your life make you come to realise many things, like the value of life, the reality of life and so forth. Thus, i decided to have 'thedifferenttastesoflife' to be my new blog name.

Your life may be tasting very sweet now: your studies/career has been going on smoothly, and you feel healthy and energetic everyday. You get to spend many happy moments with your family, and probably, your lover too. Everything you do has been successful, and you are always ready to take on the challenges of the next day. Isn't this the best scenario of a sweet, peaceful and satisfying life?

Perhaps, you may feel that your life is very bitter. Too bitter for you to overcome: you could not concentrate in class, and you find your workload increasingly heavy. You dread for the next day to start, and your relationship with your beloved has not been very smooth. However, does this mean that you can do nothing to improve the situation?

I hope that what i write will be encouraging enough. Change your life into a sweet one today!

Ms Hoa...

2007-04-07T16:46:00.000+08:00

My English teacher is leaving us!

She will be leaving at the start of May:( A new teacher called Ms Huang is now slowly taking over Ms Hoa's lesson. Many people like Ms Hoa, as she is approachable, cheerful and always make us interested in learning. Ms Huang, on the other hand, is much hated, as she is relatively cold and her tone is so monotonous that i can fall asleep.

I don't really hate anyone but i am worried for Ms Huang. Our class is always quite talkative even when the teacher is talking, and considering the fact that people do not like her, she might resign (oops). Then what will our class be like?

Now i'm also worried about our choir. Will we get at least a bronze? Furthermore, i realised that my workload is getting more and more and i can't really manage my time well. Haiz... This is life.

SYF Choir...

2007-03-08T21:04:00.000+08:00

The competition is just around the corner. Sadly to say, It is a feat to get a gold because we only started learning the competition songs this year vs other schools which probably started last year. Moreover, about 40% of us just joined choir this year and we only have a strength of around 30 people...

Despite the difficulties, we will still work very hard to the best of our abilities. (dur!) One thing we can/must do is to avoid iced drinks, fried food and spicy food etc. amap (as much as possible) to protect our throat. This not very easy for me, but i think everyone will admit that this is no easy task.

Next thing is to practise singing the correct way. There are a few conditions in order to sing at home: 1. your family don't mind your singing 2. your neighbours don't feel irritated 3. you really love singing so much that you will spend your time for leisure to practise. How many people have all these conditions?

Anyway, jiayou for the incoming SYF! (to myself...)

Finally Made The Right Choice

2007-01-18T16:59:00.000+08:00

I am finally out of Chinese Orchestra.

Actually, i have been thinking about quitting CO long ago. However, i don't know where else i can go.

Although i like to play erhu, i cannot play well. I have been practicing, but i don't know what went wrong. The melody just came out without feelings.

I always feel that my skills are far from others, everybody can play very fast (kuai gong), but i can't. I can't learn as fast as the others, as they have an external teacher. It is not that i don't have confidence in myself, but i have tried. I am only suitable to learn slowly from the fundamentals. However, we are expected to learn the basics within a month (estimated). Then we started to play kuai gong. Like learning language, the fundamental is very important, otherwise it is hard to be good in it.

Some people may think that i joined choir because i want to slack (only once per week, 1.5 hours). However this is not the case. I really liked to sing, even when i am only a small child. When i am in Secondary school, i always sing whenever i am sad or bored (not in the sense that i sing for the whole day or an hour without stopping). So i am sure that i really liked singing. I really liked choir.

Before i changed cca, i was afraid that people will say/exclaim, "What? Choir? It is so xxx lah!" when they knew i joined choir. This is a big misunderstanding!!! However, i don't care what people think about me now. I am always moody in CO, but it is totally different in choir. Anyway, a friend will always support his friend, regardless of whatever decisions he make...

Sorry, people reading this post may be extremely bored (perhaps you are already yawning now), but i just have to say out the unhappy things and clear any misunderstandings about me.

Holidays?

2006-12-16T15:42:00.000+08:00

I really don't like my holiday.

Firstly, my father and sometimes we children just somehow angered our mother, then she turns the atmosphere in the house totally, making it very sianz. I just hope she can brighten up her spirits.

Then, the holiday past too fast. 16 days left and we will be back in school. I'm not sure if i prefer going to school, but now, when i was almost always idling, i am afraid that i lost an opportunity to improve my studies. So how?

Anyway i am not stressed. My family and i went to the Jurong West Swimming Pool today morning, and i really had an enjoyable time, especially in the lazy pool and the very high and long slide (similar to that of Jurong East's) .

A Choice

2006-12-09T15:29:00.000+08:00

Chinese Orchestra or Librarian.

My mother hoped that i would change my CCA (CO) when i always complained that i am tired after CO practices. Of course i don't want to be a librarian-- it will not give me pride. Although my mother did not force me to change to a librarian, i am really in a dilemma.

Being a librarian, i will not be stressful and there is air-conditioning. However, there is nothing for me to aim for. If i am in CO, i can learn something new and maybe become a erhu teacher and earn lots of money (haha). But i will be stressful as i have to pass the erhu examinations, and to do this, i have to practice very hard.

So, which one should i choose?

Singapore Dreaming

2006-10-23T20:47:00.000+08:00

Today we went for a movie screening organised by the school. Its at Marina, and the scenery is nice (especially the Esplanade). The movie is Singapore Dreaming.

It is about a typical Singaporean family, struggling to cope with life. It is only until Jeffery Loh, a father of two, struck a S$2 million lottery, when all their dreams: living in a condominium, driving a nice car, leading a better life etc. seemed possible to become a reality.

However, something very unfortunate happens, and the family members all broke down for a while. I will say that there is a good ending. The movie, with the background music, is rather sad and dark, but it teach me many things. It makes me feel that we should not take everything for granted when we are rich. We should still cherish all we have.

Actually, i think that Ah Seng in the movie deserves to get only $1000 of the will (haha!). This is because entrepreneurship is risky and without proper management, he might wasted all the money. So its better to give him less money so that he will have to work in a company and understand the preciousness of money.

Sometimes, i feel than many parents don't show their love to children very openly. Ah Seng's sister thought that she had not been loved by her parents, but in the end she got S$300 thousand. (Quite a lot la. )

Actually i really hope i can watch more movies. I don't think that i had even watched 10 movies in my whole life! Worse, although i had finished my exams, i can only play at normal times (every Saturday, half an hour)! All because of my P5 brother who is about to take his Final-Year Exam!!! Now i don't know what to do during leisure time (basically every afternoon)...Sianz...

Humans 'deteriorating' ?...

2006-09-29T21:02:00.000+08:00

Today, my Maths teacher told us about how our school had not been what it should be. Not in attention when singing national song, not clapping whole-heartedly for award winners...all these small actions, that shows the rather bad attitude of our schoolmates.

Next, after school. It was when A accidentally provoke B ( I don't think saying out all the details is appropriate), and B really got so annoyed and 'pissed off' ( not a bad word?) that he hit A... I am really sadden by this scene. Although everybody will have one time that they were so 'crazy' that they used some violence, ( honestly speaking, i have hit my brother before, but we are still good brothers) we should really think twice, or rather thrice, according to a Chinese proverb.

All of us may have been really furious before, but maybe we should put ourselves in others' shoes. Did they do it purposely? Will they be very sad if we hit them? What's more, the consequences. Are we capable of bearing it?

I'm not here to lecture someone, really, but to advice everybody to think carefully before doing ANYTHING. ( except breathing, walking etc.) Although this may result in the comments about your 'lagging', it certainly will make you a 'careful' person, preventing unhappy incidents to happen.

We human can of course not control ourselves at all times when agitated ( if this is the case we will be buddhas), but at least we should try. I admit that i sometimes lost control too ( especially when people did not hand in their Chinese homework), however i really tried to prevent myself from breaking down and now the situation has improved.

The last thing is about global warming. One article in the Chinese newspaper wrote that our Earth will be in danger if the global temperature rises by 1 more degree Celsius. There is certainly no excuse, because it is we the humans ourselves create so much pollution to 'harm ourselves'. I wonder will doomsday come soon...

So, is humans really 'deteriorating'? ( adding the news of rudeness and irresponsibility of teenagers) I hope not.

If i had offended someone here, i am really sorry. I did not write these purposely.

End-of-Year Exams----it determines the future...?!

2006-09-13T19:39:00.000+08:00

Sorry for not updating my blog for 13 days... all because of the tight scheldue in school. End-of-Year exams are just around the corner; i am nervous for it is the first time i am tested on 8 subjects. Luckily it is possible that i will be exempted from 3 subjects. (Whew...) However, i have been deproving (as in the previous entry) and i need to do well so that i will not my parents down.

Stress.

Anyway, Manchester United won the consecutive four victories in EPL! This is quite a happy occasion and it lightens me a bit.

My exams will be from 6 Oct-13 Oct. So i may not have the time to update my blog so often. After the strenuous exams, i will post entries every week.

Any disappointment caused is greatly regretted.

Happiness Could Be Easy To Get

2006-08-31T15:21:00.000+08:00

Now, i am really happy and contented with what i have (except my results)!

Actually, to be happy, you must be contented of what you have now. I have a new phone (which was my father's old phone) with better functions than my previous one. Thus i am truly overjoyed! I finally have a better phone...

Upon having a new phone, i found that i am indeed very lucky----i have braces to adjust my teeth; i am eating health supplements; i have a warm and loving family; and have a improved appearance (all thanks to my short hair)!

Sadly, my Mean Subject Grade this term has dropped from 1.86 to 2.00. It seems like i am not doing well...I think i better buck up in the final term so as not to disappoint my family and me.

Today, i went to my former school: Jurong West Primary School. I met my former teachers who were over the moon when they saw me. Everyone around me seems to be caring me. Although i am not very impressed by the noise in my school, i sighed that time indeed past swiftly. The 'new' year in Secondary School is almost coming to the end.

Anyway, i hope that everyone will be contented and happy everyday! :)

Yeah!

2006-08-24T19:41:00.000+08:00

Manchester United won Fulham by 5-1!!!

Having waited for quite a long time, the English Premier League has finally started once again. Although i am not a hard core fan, but i really do enjoy in supporting my favourite team. Now that the once sluggish ManU won easily, i am so glad and relieved... (i know i sound very weird...)

I don't know if it will seem awkward for me to talk about soccer in my blog (please give me your views), but i think i really like to see ManU win and win and win...

On this Wednesday, my erhu training is cancelled!!! (miracle...) So i watched a debate competition between Nanyang Girls High and a China School. Fascinating... I think i will watch more debate competitions as it can improve my language and interests me.

My sabbatical is about diplomacy!? Anyway sabbatical is a week of course that we chose to attend with no normal lessons at all. Indeed, diplomacy is a bit too high a level for Sec. 1s to touch on. So it is quite a struggle, but i learnt many useful things.

Managing Time

2006-08-14T16:54:00.000+08:00

I always have this problem: not managing time well.

Now, i am gradually trying to use every second of my life well!

I had to split my life into many parts: 1 sleeping, 2 going to school, 3 eat and rest (including visiting the washroom), 4 doing homework, 5 revise for tests, 6 practicing erhu (anyway last Friday the erhu practice was miraculously canceled) and 7 recreation. The first three cannot be improved much; the sixth and seventh will depend on the fourth and fifth.

Last weekend, i miraculously completed my homework (more than usual) before Sunday night! Maybe it's still very slow compared to others but at least i did not waste any time daydreaming or groaning and moaning. This feeling is so good! Don't need to worry if i have enough time to complete my homework!

However, i was afraid of forgetting to do something as i finished them early...

Hope that i can get use to it!

Changed Character

2006-08-07T20:06:00.000+08:00

In primary school, I was always left out by my classmates. I don't really know how to mix with them. This lead to the often gloom then. Only when i was in primary 6, i got a few friends. Seems like i've finally discovered the 'secret' of making friends.

Although my skill of making friends seems to be continually improving, up till now, in secondary 1 (Grade 7), i don't have many good friends, but at least i did not feel so lonely anymore. Perhaps it's my character: not sporty nor loves playing games that causes the 'outcast'. So of course there's not much topic to talk about. Whenever most classmates talked to me will be like: "What's the topics tested on tomorrow's Science Test?", "Must we hand in the Chinese homework today?", "I don't know how to do these Chinese questions. Can you let me copy one of those (pointing to the stack of homework i had collected)?"...all these are related to academic, as i look like one who put academic as my first priority to them...haiz...

I will tell you how i eventually got friends. Actually, i was once very selective on who to make friends with. Yes, selective. How? I only make friends (if any) people of similar character so that communication seems easier. However i realized that wasn't the correct method so i accepted any friends that are approachable (if any). I approach and try to talk to them or join into their conversation. It takes much effort.

I couldn't possibly change my character so that there will be some topics to talk about; I prefer what i am now. However, there was a contrast in what my friends commented about me. From "He is so quiet and shy lor." to "He was quite chatty leh.", i think that was not too bad anyway. What's more i am more happy now.

Every now and then, when i saw a shy boy walked past me in school, i feel glad that i had changed my quiet character to a more chatty one. I must be more sociable, as this will be a key factor of success in life.

Finally i am now only left with one Mathematics test. Hooray!

The Regretful Careless

2006-08-05T21:32:00.000+08:00

Oh no! I carelessly place my The Village By The Sea literature book in my locker in school!!! I could not do Ace for my Literature now and what's more, I have a Literature test on Monday...

Sometimes, i know i remember i need to do something, and i often forget them. This is already about the 50th time i had carelessly forgot to take somthing with me! Now what could i do? I would do badly for my Literature test! This consequence seems to be too severe...

I think i really need to be calmer when doing things. If only i had spent some time thinking what i should bring with me before i went home, i would not be so troubled and regretful.

HELP!!!

Mother and Son

2006-08-04T21:05:00.000+08:00

In the bus today, around 6.30pm.

I witnessed the loving care of a mother. So touching.

Perhaps many small children of an age of 4 are very active and cried on things that seem trivial to us. What if they happen to throw tantrums in a bus, with so many passengers looking?

Then the mother will calm the child down and tell him why is throwing tantrums not a good method to express his feelings.

That's what i saw.

Once again, i felt that we children are so fortunate to be loved deeply by our parents, even if they have their own troubles or were stressed, they put them aside and take care of us, telling us what we should do and what we should not do, and now, giving us the strongest moral support they could.

So that's why being filial to our parents (repaying their love) is emphasized by many.

Maybe the next time we have different views with our parents and were about to quarrel, think about how they have loved you...

Then calmly discuss it with them.

Your parents might have said that they don't need a present from you for their birthday...

They just hope that you will be more filial and obedient.

Happy days

2006-08-02T21:40:00.000+08:00

Practice makes perfect! That's true. I keep on practicing erhu songs till i really improve! That's certainly a 'present' to me! Finally, i am not so worried about my erhu skills.

Now that i had finished 50% of all my tests, stress is partially removed and i will have time to do my ACE projects. ACE is reflected in end-of-year result, weighing 15% and we can earn ACE by doing projects. For many subjects, i am still way behind: only about 1/3. HELP!!!

Also, I am quite fed up with my plain blog skin: i don't know how to change it. Can anyone who knows give me some tips? I visited blogskins.com, but i don't know how to download.

I know that from the previous posts, it seems that i am a pessimist. But in reality, i am not. I even feel happier after i went to secondary school despite the stress. Maybe i view them as challenges. In fact, maybe i am optimistic.

Hope you guys can smile as much as you can!

Seeking attention (accidentally)

2006-07-27T18:02:00.000+08:00

I got a haircut on my birthday (24/7) ......!?

Now it's less than 1cm...

I had been quite frustrated at that time when my hair grow to a length that contacts with my forehead, causing many pimples to appear. Furthermore, i don't look nice with that hair which always curls by itself. So, i 'seek help' from my mother.

She said she would cut my hair to size 4. I thought it was ok. But when i saw myself in the mirror...freak! I never thought things would be like this...I regret i didn't double check what the length of my hair would be...at that time. I think i look like an alien...

My mother was quite sorry and kept asking if it was alright. Of course i didn't blame her; it's all because of my carelessness. Thankfully, my elder sister thought it is ok. So I'm no too afraid to go into class.

On the next morning, before i walked into the class, i hesitated for the first time ever in my whole life to step in. I reassured myself, then walked in.

My sister is correct.

Unbelivable exclaims fill my ear but they were positive. Some think I'm cute (I'm not sure why), some say the contrary, and some pestering me with "Why do you suddenly cut your hair in this 'style'?"

My friends' actions: Touch my head, try to take photos of me, call me as a Shaolin monk... but anyway i had now caught quite a lot of attention, which i never had before. It was great, unbelievable.

Once i convince myself that i look ok, but now i feel the negative again. Perhaps it is because someone think it is not nice and i believe him. I feel i look more like n alien...haiz...

Since like I'm quite used to my new 'hair style' now. But it may look better when it grows 3-4cm more. It might take a month (or more?)

Now I attract attention, but i hope it would last for long...

Champions!!!

2006-07-19T19:59:00.000+08:00

Triple champions and one 2nd (in 'A' girls' division) for my school!!!

For a National Judo Competition, in the 'A', 'B', 'C' divisions!

Anyway, i am from HCI.

I remember that i had said earlier that i feel judo as a boring sport but now i had been fully convinced that its an exciting sport. Maybe because my school wins many trophies. And we supportors cheered them to their way of victory. Or maybe its because competitors are fighting with each other madly and desperately. (but i'm certainly not a sadist)

Our rival is the Raffles Institution (also a boys school) and the Catholic Junior College. It is so sweet to win other top schools in Singapore! (but bitter for them...)

I don't think i'm good at describing the thrilling and breathtaking judo competition. So i will not and cannot describe it. But after viewing this National Judo Competition, i really think that judo is an exciting sport and seriously encourage you to watch one.

When i saw my school's judo team win with glory, ridiculously, i felt like being one of them. It just seems so great. But i am small-sized...i couldn't possibly battle with those muscular guys. I don't have the potential. Perhaps its better to stick to my erhu...

But i will once again congratulate my school and my school's judo team!!! Bravo!!!

I really think judo is a great sport to watch (sometimes it seems that its more exciting that watching Manchester United play) so i sincerely hope that you can watch one judo competition as it is really impressive...(sorry for my repeated nagging but...)

Tons of Troubles

2006-07-17T17:02:00.000+08:00

Early in the morning today, 17July, i heard the news that my classmates and i had to support our school's judo team. Oh, that's boring...and we even had to cheer for them!? I never even want to see what is judo competition like...but at least school ends 1and a 1/2 hour earlier, this Wednesday.

Today my cough is irritating me again. Actually, i started coughing a week before, but i hadn't recovered yet. Coughing with phlegm in my throat and could not spit out is a terrible thing...

Another consolation of the day...i got 36/40 for my term 3 maths test 1 and topped the class!!! Well, i had not done well for term 2, so i sweared i MUST work hard to get 1st. Congrats! (for me!)

One of the most frustrating things in school is that i ALWAYS have to go round chasing for my classmates' Chinese assignments. It should be THEIR responsibility to hand it to me personally. But no choice. They aren't automatic; they need me to remind them. And worse they don't know how to do a handful of questions thus i have no choice but to teach them personally...till quite late...but then i received quite a lot of thanks too. Perhaps these are the bitter and sweet things a teacher will get from his or her students.

I found that i complain about lots of trivial (or not?) things, but i just need to vent them out...regrets...

So when the air-con above my head in the bus that make me feeling headache and the vulgarities written on the bus' seats annoy me, i simply couldn't take it!!

Perhaps this is life...

...in Singapore, in one of its boys schools...

A Series Of Unfortunate Events

2006-07-13T21:13:00.000+08:00

This events just shows how unfortunate or rather unlucky on this day:12/7 (12 July).

Early in the morning, my erhu was borrowed to my classmates for them to 'play' with it. But it was partly spoiled--how to say that...erm...one of the two strings of erhu was hanging loosely (it should be taut). It took me much effort to fix it back. That's nothing. But after i kept it inside a rectangular box and my classmates asked for my erhu again, the same string loosen, AGAIN. I was frustrated.

During the fateful erhu practice after school, my erhu gave me yet another nasty surprise--it was DISMANTLED, either by itself or me, when i opened the rectangular box. It was getting too far, i thought.

With great reluctance, i had to seek help from my teacher. I had to admit, he was good at repairing it, and even calculating the fees. " $1. For a and b, each 50 cents," he said in Chinese with a strong accent. Hey, as a teacher can't he be generous. Can't he consider it as free? Can't he help people without expecting rewards? I think he really couldn't.

He enjoys to talk to(or rather lecture) people too. It could last from 5 to 30 min...That was our conversation: (tc=teacher, zy =me)

tc: who damaged your erhu?
zy: it dismantled by itself.
tc: as i had said earlier, your erhu COULD NOT be used for test. it is not of a good quality.
how much did it cost?
zy: $S400.
tc: that means 2000 RMB?! (in disbelief) erhu of this kind of quality worths at most only 600- 700 RMB! As you can see here, this is actually an inferior quality of wood painted with a
glossy colour...(nagging professionally)
zy: ......
tc: where do you buy this from?
zy: Suzhou, China
tc: did you buy from a roadside stall? (still quite angry and rush)
zy: no. (obviously not!) it was bought in a shop...my neighbour helped me to buy.
tc: oh no, you are deceived by him. how could this erhu cost...it only worths...(continues to nag)
(anyway he is a very good neighbour)
tc: why didn't you buy from me?
zy: my mother said that it is better not to buy an expensive erhu when i am still a novice at it...
tc: $S550 isn't expensive!
zy: err...
tc: remember to tell your mother that you NEED a new, better erhu eventually. You can't continue like that. (obviously he's grumbling again)
zy: ok. thank you (reluctantly)

I hope you can now know why i had to seek help from him reluctantly.

The day hadn't end yet.

Finally, when i finally could take a bus home, it was so crowded that i had to stand for a long time (it is a single-deck bus). That's quite often. And so i waited with unhappiness till many passengers had alighted. Whew, finally a seat. But its just a fleeting relief. A middle-aged lady was standing between the 2 two-passenger seat, and even when i said excuse me, she stay put combing her hair. SHE made me stand for a longer time! How inconsiderate of her! I cursed and swore and condemned her actions.

A stressful day...

With a series of unfortunate events...

Dreadful 11/7

2006-07-13T20:52:00.000+08:00

11 July, the dreadful day...
Where i lose all my face...

This day was my school's projects day, semi-finals. Seems exciting, eh? Not at all. My group members and i embarrassed ourselves totally.

We had progressed from Preliminary round to the Semi-finals. But because we always thought we had enough time, worse still, one of our group members didn't want to co-operate when the rest of us were doing last minute work, thus we failed to progress. It was expected.

But i wasn't depressed about the failure of progressing, i was depressed about the failure of being a good group member, and i was depressed to have such an ugly failure.

Because we had not even done what that was least expected.

Instead of blaming others, i condemn myself.

I really could not manage my time...i was a failure...right?

Enough of the depress, seems like i just need to take it as a lesson learnt.

Tuesday Blues

2006-07-05T21:44:00.000+08:00

This is the second week of Term 3, but I still couldn't cope with the tight schedule looming ahead of me. What's more, I suffered a terrible stomach upset at the start of the morning! That was simply frustrating!

After the flag-raising ceremony, as my schoolmates, on the way back to the classrooms, wagged their tongues about the lame and irritating Maple game, and I of course had no one to talk with. But I suddenly felt a serene quietness as I remained calm...........................

Really, I felt that was a time of peace. Tranquility surrounded me.........

Sadly, I had to end this day with a tiring erhu lesson, my CCA, which worn me out totally. In case you don't know what is an erhu, it is a traditional and popular chinese musical instrument.

Exhausted...........time for a rejuvenating bath............................