Yeah! I've got it! I didn't know whether to get the original cast one or the new soundtrack. Finally decided on the latter 'cos the salesperson told me people said though the singers are not as good as the original, the orchestra is better.
There was Maldives meeting at Buona Vista CC today. I was still very quiet during the meeting. It was only till when the food com went surveying the supermarkets and after that that I opened up more. I was eating some ribs at Cold Storage when Christine said I looked so contented. Haha, I didn't know I was. Heard from the juniors that there's about 180 people who signed up to run for council. Wow. Their batch is really enthusiastic, about NJ too. I like that. This may be the turning point for the school. haha. Its possible that the confirmed batch comprise mainly people who stay because they want to.
To my surprise, I was told that there are like five CS in NJ. Some Christian groups. In fact four have existed for quite some time though the fifth one, that Sharon (a j1 whom I had previously met at Green Link orientation) belongs to, is newly set up this year. I didn't know that there are people around me with such strong faith. They gather like twice a week after school to pray and sing. Sharon even told me I can come by though I'm not a Christian. But she said there may be some problems 'cos NJ's supposed to be neutral. Hmms.
Its actually very enriching to be in a church youth group. You get to learn from the more senior ones and you get to have close friendships with people of different ages. Though you may spend abit too much time there. At least your whole life is not about school, and you get to make 100%genuine friendships. She was telling me the guys in army were finding a hard time there because people try to act cool and smoke and stuff. Even at the Officer Cadet School where the better ones are supposed to be.
Not bad sia, can tell that they learn the right values, can tell right from wrong. I hate it when people try to put good things in bad light. Like that day (Thursday), Mabel was telling me her classmates always call her a mugger simply because she scores better than them even though she isn't studying as much as some others who score worse. I had always thought her class is very nice but Sharon Hiu said its just the cohesion that's good; the attitude isn't right - they put people down for doing well, quite alike my class, though I hope there's such a strong cohesion too. "What's wrong with mugging", she said.
Arghhh. I can't go for NUS open house and for the trip to the stockbroking firm 'cos they clash with the Maldives trip. =(
Just heard from Jia Yun that there was band lunch today.. Sighs.. It always happens when I'm not around.. Even a few clarinet juniors - Regina, Jing Wei, Kuan Yee, went. And it was Kuan Yee's bday.
Haha, Xiu Xia's msn nick is cute. "not a rock by nature, juz a stone by choice". I think I'm a rock by nature, a stone by choice, though sometimes I only pebble.
In the afternoon, I tried to do work at WRL but most of the time I was dozing off and trying all sorts of method to stay awake to no avail - I dozed off again half a minute later. I wasted more than an hour before I decided that I was not going to become fully awake so I got home to sleep.
Its the first time such a situation happened. Usually even if I was dozing off initially, I would be awake at most an hour later. Maybe its because the tiredness is setting in. Leaving school late - Mon ~7, Tues 6+, Wed 7+, Thu 8+, Fri 6+ and swam 13/14 laps (I lost count but it was less than the 15 laps I managed the Friday before). There was endurance training during PE on Wed, and we managed to get Mr Tong to bring us out for road-run; other classes who ran did 10 rounds.
Even though I'm doing more things now, ie. supposedly more busy now, I seem to also be less busy. I read for leisure; eat out during weekends (last year I usually stayed at home while Mom bought food back); slack in the bandroom or do self-practise (I don't think I even did that last year); do 'S' papers; swim on Fridays.
I suppose the credit really goes to the shorter time-tables.
My form teacher wants to sign me up for SAF scholarship. OH MY gosH. I just checked the MINDEF website. Its so amusing that she even considered me for such a scholarship. Or maybe its a joke. In fact she didn't even tell me anything, it was Tian En who said so. Anyway, it said on the website: "strong interest in a military career". Whoa.
Actually what are 'S' papers for other than scholarships? I don't know why I'm taking them. I only know that I'm because I can, and it seems like the right thing to do.
I'm doing more self-practice and slacking in the bandroom more than I expected. On Monday, I was down for Recycling Comp duty and I was quite surprised by the numerous stacks of newspapers there was. What was so irritating was that the phone network was down and I couldn't contact the others who are on duty too. I weighed like 89kg of newspapers brought by 05s01 before Cheng Yang came by and offered to help just a second after I threw down the weighing scale on the remaining newspapers brought by other classes. Was quite pissed 'cos on the previous few Mondays, when the others were there to help, there were very much less to weigh. Okays, I should be thankful that someone did stop to help.
Then I went to bandroom to do abit of work before practising. Oh, it was actually quiet enough to concentrate 'cos it was so hot to stay in the room that almost everyone was outside.
Chem SPA Skill B (Wed).. Well... The teacher was standing a few metres away, looking and noting things down while I was heating the solid before I realised I hadn't put on the safety goggles which was right in front of me. I didn't know how to explain for the anomaly. I didn't draw lines for the supposed tables. =(
I submitted Physics work late twice in a row. Last Friday (or was it two Fridays ago?) I forgot to submit the assignment though I had already completed it. Then I forgot Mr Lim wanted the Skill A practical in by Thu break and procrastinated - didn't do it on Wed nite.
Ever since the beginning of the year, I didn't get to do work after I reach home on weekdays. At most Monday nights sometimes, or the day before tests if I get scared enough.
Nowadays I begin to understand how the seniors feel such that they don't study for tests. You just get so mentally tired of it, and your physical powers are not strong enough too.
The Econs HOD (Mrs Phoon?) sat beside me on the bus to school on Friday! I didn't realise it till it was time to get off 'cos I was busy copying out the formulas for the first-period Physics test. I was sitting on a stack of chairs practising "I recommend" slackishly from 5 to 7 with the fan all to myself (but sometimes Jun Hao or Nathalie get very hot and come to share) before I lapsed into a completely slack attitude - playing cards till 8 on Thursday. Qing Yang and Daryl refused to leave so everyone (Crystal, Mabel, Jun Hao, Sharon and me) stayed on till 8+. It was usual for them but it was only my first time staying till this time. Sharon was asking me if I had ever stayed back till so late other than the pre-concert days; I admitted mugging in the library, but its the first time this year. I asked when it was nearing eight, not believing that the side gate was already locked, and they laughed at me. I think it was something about me still living in the exams-preparation days when the gate only closed at 9.15 or so.
We had to leave by the main gate, and the moon looked really scary. The colour, the size. The following morning, it was still in the sky, looking more romantic, smaller too. That brought back memories of pre-concert days again- leaving school and returning when the moon is still out.
I feel very irritated when people talk to me when I don't want to, ie. when the teacher is saying things that I want to listen to. This feeling wasn't around the past few weeks but its back again this week.
I've just completed reading "A Walk to Remember" by Nicholas Sparks. Swee Peng recommended it to me when I was reading "Tuesdays with Morrie"/"The Five People You Meet in Heaven" which are also inspirational books. "A Walk to Remember" is the simplest of them all in terms of vocabulary and sentence structure, but its not a bit less inspirational. Its written in first person which brings the story closer to me. I cried on the bus on my way to school on Thursday while reading the last part. I think I would have enjoyed the read more, hoping for a typical happy ending if Justine didn't accidentally tell me on Monday during the feedback session at the hall about the ending 'cos she thought everyone knows the ending since it was made into a movie.
Dency told me Sparks' other books are very nice too. I shall read them =)
I don't know whether to learn from Jamie - to be nice to everyone regardless of how they are. She managed to change them because she's just so kind. Am I capable of that?
I hope yet I doubt.
In fact I am being more mean to people than I used to be before I started reading inspirational books.
Sorry. I don't dare to admit it. I don't dare to face it. I don't dare to bear the consequences.
I want to tell someone. But I don't know who. I wasn't given the chance when I wanted to. I haven't gotten the chance again. In fact I missed the chance twice. On the two most recent Fridays. I was considering whether to tell but before I had decided, the chance was gone.
Shucks. I forgot to watch Black Hawk Down. I had came back to blog about this weekend (I realised I forgot to) when I saw the light from my handphone blinking and I found out that I had been so engrossed on the computer that I didn't bother about my hp - I had set a reminder to watch the show.
Anyway, there was the first band j2s meeting on Saturday morning, supposedly at 8.30am but most were late, me too... You Zhi wanted everyone to sit closer around him before he started talking. Then there were a few times when there was near pure silence. I think this is another problem we have. We are not well-knitted enough, even as a batch. Although it could be argued that we are a big batch, I suddenly felt that what I had always thought, that the rest of the band were all very close except for a few of us from the clarinet section, was not true. Even the main group of people weren't so comfortable enough to speak up freely when You Zhi wanted response.
After the short meeting of 10 minutes, I rushed over for the Maldives meeting. Disappointedly, none of the teachers were there yet. Such a bad example. Though I think they were in the office and thought people would be late so they came up later on purpose. boo. There was packing list briefing before we got into different committees for the preparation part. There was this IP boy Collin whom the other IP people kept teasing. Even Mr Sim (the in-charge for the trip) joined in the teasing, counting him as a girl, which was quite mean, especially for a teacher to do so. The IPs were a whole lot more responsive and noiser than the main stream.
So, I was stoning at the side, next to Dency, whose committee I joined - the food com. I was extremely quiet even during the food com's first short discussion among the seven girls, amongst whom I was the only j2. In fact, I think I'm the only j2 girl going on the trip. Hmms.
Gladly went back for band after that, but I hate my ulcers.
Had lunch with Jia Yun and Bo Yang (most of the others went for SA funfair) at pastamania at Junction 8, where I met Lin Yan and Yu Qing. Lin Yan said I still look the same, both Jia Yun and I don't seem to think so, but I think Lin Yan changed quite a bit.
Sunday (20/2) Taught Zi Hui Science in the morning before making brownies for Mom 'cos her ex female classmates were coming over for a gathering. I was supposed to escape before they come but I didn't manage to so I began serving them, especially the brownies with ice-cream. Then I caught some thing in their conversation that made me worry. Someone mistook someone for someone else due to the significant change in height-weight ratio, and it made me fear, will I become the only fat one at a class gathering 33 years down the road? You'll never know.
One of the classmates brought her grandchild! Remember that she's as old as my mom, who isn't that old.
Unexpectedly, most of the aunties gave red packets. haha.
I finally realised why my brother is so childish; because he grew up without having to take care of his younger sister. I was observing a family of five on my way home just now. There were three sisters, the eldest I think was at most in lower primary. She was probably only one or two years older than the second but her behaviour was typical of an eldest sibling.
My brother grew up under the care of my maternal grandparents and you know how much grandparents spoil their grandchildren. He only return home permanently after Primary 6. I grew up under the care of my parents but both of them have been working all my life. This explains why I am so pampered yet able to survive for short periods without them; so independent yet so dependent on my mom.
I wished my brother had grown up doting on his younger sister. Then he would be the kind of elder brother my friends without elder brothers wished they had. However, if that had been the case, I suppose, then, I wouldn't be able to be as independent ever since as young as I had started to learn to be independent. And if I hadn't been alone that much, I won't be thinking so much as I have had (which I don't think is really bad). I would also be a much more spoilt brat, I think. No one knows by the other side of me (ie. the side of me most people know) how much my mom has spoilt me. Anyway, basically, I would be worse off while my brother would be a much more matured person, which isn't that bad 'cos all these years (as far as I can remember), I have never been able to stand how childish he is, considering that he's four and a half-years older than me.
I wonder when my instrument will get repaired. I really hope NJCSB will stop procrastinating. Though I really have no right to make any comments on such an issue since I am having such a poor conduct in this band, I think the management should really stop doing things last minute, simply for the good of the band - what they want, isn't it?
When I got a pathetic 4 for inclined pull-up trials, Mr Menon asked what CCA I'm in and I answered band. He replied that band has alot training for SYF so he can't touch me. (I suppose if he thought otherwise I would be in the PE remedial pre-listings.) I was quite shocked since currently we only have 2 practices a week, while most other CCAs have at least 3 now unless they are typified "slack". I don't see why we have to wait till after release of results. By then there would be even less time left (when You Zhi has already stated "this is the last minute) . Then we would be practising till 8+/9+pm and be lagging terribly for all subjects and exhausted. Why can we start extending Wednesday practices till 8pm right this Wednesday? In fact I was quite surprised the first Wednesday practice of the year when we ended at 7pm or so. Its like we haven't even seen the piece before the year-end holidays, and only decided on the piece after LNY.
I know we are expected to do more self-practise, but I think having band practices would be more effective. Hmm... I feel really guilty 'cos I am like a beggar trying to report to the police that I have witnessed a theft case. Haha, that's a lousy analogy. Okay, I am like a teacher who can't teach (and students are writing petition against me so that I won't teach them) trying to report to MOE that there's something very wrong with the school management. Yeah, I think this is a better analogy.
I did something on Friday that I've not done in a long time - talk to Pam and Sand about class stuff. I guess the last time was at KFC. Anyway, we were supposed to talk more about it ('cos initially we were in class and there were the top three muggers - Nic, Cher and Tian En, and Joyce doing work so we decided to leave our homeroom first) but we digressed after leaving - Pam started telling racist jokes and the rest of the time I was either laughing off my head (totally not because of the racist jokes) or wondering if my laughing cells have been used up (when I started stoning) before I cranked up again. That was during the interval after lunch and before we were supposed to gather to go for the Total Defence Photo Fest.
I realised many a times when I really laugh a hearty laugh, its when I'm with people whom I'm closer to and the thing that makes me laugh is what I think of due to what I hear. That's also when people think I'm crazy because I laugh before I even get to verbalise my funny thoughts.
One thing that could explode into a major point of teasing was when Pam gave an extremely excited spontaneous reaction when Sand said that her mom (after seeing our class photo) commented there was only one out of all the class guys who wasn't that bad - Ser Jing. Fortunately there weren't any guys around, especially not Nic or Rard, and Pam explained that it proved why she had pointed him out on that fateful night. I still have yet to grasp his personality. The guys in class seem to love speaking in the way they think is cool or whatever it is, verbally rebelling against this and that - the school, the teachers etc.
At another point, Sand mentioned her worries for Russell, saying that he was very different from last year, like he was troubled or something. Actually instead, I'm amazed by how he can turned from a slacker to a mugger, just by his own choice. Jie Yu said he had already planned for it, that he can just work very hard in year 2, ie. he's actually not a slacker but he had chosen to. I don't think I should type this down in my blog but I feel that I need to (since a blog is where one records how one feels/thinks and its also why I keep a blog): I feel disgusted and completely irritated now whenever he tells people to "stop mugging". To use a similar analogy again, its like a thief accusing a robber of a crime. Still... it isn't me to completely dislike someone. Probably I would be laughing the next day he does something funny.
There was an impromptu class outing cum dinner after the Photo Fest to my surprise. I hadn't thought of having further programmes until Pam and Sand mentioned to have dinner during our conversation, also so that we could further our discussions. I already had my usual plans to go swimming. Still, I decided to join them since I was interested in continuing the discussion, especially because from the start of this year, I was mostly into band, self-improvement (being happy!) and maintaining/improving individual friendships instead of class stuff (which had been a bulk of my focus last year), whenever I wasn't doing work.
The whole group of us (including Rard, Est, Sing Ying, Ser Jing, Cher and Zhinvee) were shopping around Suntec when I realised that I really hadn't understood one part of me - that I don't enjoy class outings though previously I had always wanted them. I told Pam about it to which she replied she never liked to go out in large groups, and I realised how 'right' she was in being negative about class outings, 'cos even though I always say that we should go for the outings with a positive outlook, I end up being the least happy one most of the time.
So actually I wasn't that regretful when I had to leave even before their dinner arrived, 'cos I was already getting extremely stony and sadness was setting in. Still, it was quite good that Ser Jing's opening up, 'cos he's not talking only to the few people.
One of the things I fear most when I am alone with a friend is that the person is bored when I am stoning/ not talking. I think that's why I've come to like "threes" best in class; More than that and I would most likely be quiet/not dare to talk.
Kaoz... it was so difficult to login in... I don't know what's wrong with my security settings... don't allow this and that... then I have to lower the privacy level... but I fear viral attacks...
Anyway, I think I am liking "Amazonia" now. Our possible SYF choice piece. Its like today (I think yesterday too, I can't differentiate..) I kept feeling like singing the melody, I think those people who sat next to me must have thought I went mad ('cos I usually don't sing). Let me set a target of settling the technical part of the piece by February. But I don't know why my tone is so poor. I stayed back with Addie to practise today (fortunately I managed to stop my bad habit of finishing Chem S assignment at 6+pm which was what happened for the past few times). Qi Sheng was quite eager in being a part-time section leader for Addie, took her for most of the 2 hours we were practising. I think his digital metronome is very user-friendly. The speed is controlled by scrolling and the movement of each beat is shown on the screen too. But I have difficulty determining how to follow the beat unless I hear someone singing the rhythm. Lousys.
Hahas, people always mis-interpret my words. Tk thought I meant someone in class likes me..
k. Here goes my usual narration:
15 February was my birthday! Everyone was treating me very well - Karen and Jia Yun were the first to wish me happy bday. Then before proceeding to play for morning assembly, Esther announced that it was my bday so the whole band sang me the bday song. Then after free period, it was Math S lecture when I first met my classmates for the day and Jus was eager to give me a present. Nic n Tian En also wished me happy bday. After that when I joined the others, not just the girls but even the other guys also wished happy bday, which was very nice considering that we ever so rarely talk.
It would have been a near perfectly happy day if not for Physics SPA and having to stay back for Chem S. I really don't understand why for every SPA, I will always commit some simple mistake that I had never ever made. I actually missed out copying down the power of some numerical value that I had obtained from the calculator!
Sing Ying and Estelle treated me specially in a very rubbishy way. We were going to use the staff toilet before SPA started and though I was behind them, they made me use the cubicle first while they sang the bday song outside. Just imagine the scene!
So coincidentally, I took 174 to Orchard with Addie and met Chai Xin in the MRT station. She had accompanied a friend for a Youth Club interview (which I later realised and confirmed with Wei Qi that it was his club after thinking about the reason 'cos Chai Xin mentioned that it was an NJCian interviewer). It was very surprising to find that she's in RJ (change of environment was her reason), even Mich Low's also there. But neither of them rejoined band. Xin Yi joined touch rugby (but she's quite thin) and the Youth Club; Mich joined Harmonica (which Lisa's in!). I was quite impressed that Xin Yi loves History so much she's still taking it, together with PME.
I felt that the strong sense of rebellion she had back then was totally gone.
I finally got to celebrate my birthday at my paternal grandma's place with my younger cousins (I call them "xiao hai zi"). I think they were more excited then I was 'cos Mom bought ice-cream cake and there was dry ice. So the usual thing xiao hai zi do with dry ice happened - they were transferred to a cup of water so that they'll produce more "smoke". I wonder what's the Chemistry behind. I think I had known but now I don't.
Then at home, I decided to messaged all clarinet j2s who gave me a necklace and a card (which was really nice of them 'cos it helps in remembering them when I look at the card years later. It was totally unexpected because in the past year, we didn't write cards at all.) Also smsed Pam, Jus, Yuxian and Sand. I think its good to show appreciation for the people around us - Something new I learnt at NJ, especially from Karen 'cos she did it on her previous bday and somehow, it came to my mind. Lit students sometimes say things that sparkle your thoughts - "make t most of t remainin day cos u only turn 18 once". Turning 18. Does it refer to only that particular day, that particular minute, or that special second (or even split second) exactly 18 years after one was born?
Nowadays I always feel that other than things that happened on the day itself, the previous day and the days before that all seem more far away than it is. Like on 16 Feb, whenever some friends wished me happy belated birthday, I had the feeling that my birthday was a few days ago though it was only several hours ago.
I was quite pissed yesterday as I decided to take a taxi to school 'cos I left home 10minutes even later than usual (when I'll already be late). Then I had to wait 20 minutes for a taxi! I don't believe the supply of taxis really exceed the demand when its not even 7am. I highly suspect that its true that taxi drivers do it on purpose - they wait for passengers to call-a-cab - 'cos there was this person who joined the queue more than 10 min after I did (and there was already 2 persons in front of me), she made a phone call and within a minute or so, a taxi appeared!
I think its a good thing my pissed mood can disappear almost immediately when I stop letting myself feel pissed.
hahas, I'm ending both posts with comments on feeling "pissed". Though unintentional. Its just that I only remember to type about it in the end.
I'm very surprised that band people (other than Karen and Adeline) know about my blog. I wonder how long it has been. Its like other than the quite recent tag by Esther, there were no other traces at all.
I'm having a headache now... Should be the 3-hour sleep I had...
Anyways, Happy V-day! haha, its quite weird 'cos I'm not the kind of person who will care alot about V-day (I think this year is the first year I'm taking 14 Feb as V-day). Then yesterday just at about lunch I suddenly decided to make cookies, and spent most of the rest of the day buying ingredients and making them. So my plans to catch up with work flopped again.
It seems to be a very big thing, this "showing appreciation to our friends" (in Pamela's words) on Valentine's Day. I sort of felt this sense of warmth and happiness, especially during the Principal's Leadership Talk in the LT when I felt that everyone was very cheery and there were a few heart-shaped balloons floating.
The first gift I got was a bar of KitKat from Kuan Yee when I was stoning alone on my usual seat. There was also a Top bar from Jun Hao, a Fox's sweet from Colleen, a nicely-packaged cookies-pack (this looks really nice and presentable) from Crystal and Yupi gummy from Pauline.
Half-way through the first period when Mr Tsang was teaching, Estelle gave out two Hershey's kisses each. Hmms, its like people are no longer that "zun shi zong dao" (sorry for my lack of vocabulary). Jia Yuan gave each girl a bottle of coloured sand, Wei Qi - stalk of rose (it looks like he got it from Enterprise Club- still remember the previous year when I was one of those selling), Joyce gave a durable mini-sunflower, LC a bookmark with butterfly-love quote and Sandra a mini-cadbury bar with a postcard. I was most surprised when Tian En suddenly appeared beside me and gave this small heart-shaped metal box. I think I wasn't that surprised by the others 'cos they were being passed/given down the row. And its like you don't expect the muggiest guy you've ever known to do such a sweet thing. haha.
Pam didn't expect the guys to give things, though at that time I rebutted that SJI guys are like that (as in they'll give things to girls), I must admit that I didn't expect so many people in class to prepare gifts. Then she complained that they are just being "superficial". Hmms.
Wei Zhe and Teck Kuan gave me a V-day cum B-day present, its really special - saga seeds in a bottle of a shape I haven't seen before. Esther gave a cute mini biscuit and Xiuxia a cute strawberry biscuit stick.
Oh ya, I must blog about this extremely hilarious incident before I forget. My parents, paternal grandma, two cousins - Zi Hui and Rui Lin, and I were going to have dinner on Saturday night but we had to switch location 'cos we went to the wrong one. So we had to get back into the car and I don't know why Rui Lin was in a blur mood so she open the door of a neighbouring car (which the driver had just entered). I was a few metres behind her so I told her something like "Ni shang cuo che" but I think I wasn't loud enough so although she heard and moved away, my grandma who was right behind her entered the car. As usual, I was in my delayed reaction mode so before I could make any further reactions I had already entered the right car (which was further away) and before I knew it, all of us were laughing terribly hard my stomach was aching.
Guess what my 22-year-old brother is watching. Tom and Jerry. I really think he should spend his time more wisely. He spends like practically 90% of his time at home in front of the TV, wasting away the prime of his life, and his money too (on the VCDs). But Tom and Jerry was one of my favourite cartoons! haha. Still I can't afford to watch TV now, especially not after spending more than 2 hours on the comp.
Hmms, though its V-day and a few minutes to my B-day, I really feel like complaining about people who keep telling others to stop "mugging" when they are mugging more than I am. Wait till they piss me off enough that I tell them straight in their face to stop doing that. and that Nicholas who irritates everyone but no one seems to get pissed. haha. People always get "shocked" when I show the other side of me. The non-nice and quiet side. Or the super crappy side for people who are starting to cross over from seeing the quiet to seeing the crappy.
I think I haven't show the pissed side to outsiders for a long long time. Anyway, nowadays I'm keeping myself in a happy mood. =)
Okays, just published two old posts. Hmms, Lunar New Year is already coming. I think I should be spending some of those few days blogging about the whole of January.
I seem to be changing so fast I wonder if I had been a noisy kid in primary school and going to NY had "suppressed" the noisy part of me because I had felt inferior and stressed out.
The problem is I can't really remember. So this is actually based more on speculation.
Maybe its because I am trying to become less reserved, and that I've lost control of myself in doing the right things, like being on time, putting in my best effort in my work. Perhaps it's because I am asking too much of myself. Its like no one can be good in everything, so by trying to open up more of myself, wanting myself to do better in NAPFA test and lead a healthier life, and taking up a more active role by participating in more activities (such as being as active a member of GreenLink as Band allows, ie as long as they don't clash; signing up for the OCIP Maldives; going for both class outings; starting the angel-mortal game despite most of the class's dislike, I suppose 'cos it doesn't benefit them), I lose control over punctuality (I was late the whole of last week except Thursday which was 'cos school starts late); I lose control over keeping quiet when I should; I lose control over keeping in pace with tutorials (I was lagging all the way till end of January), basically I wasn't the Fenella who did what she should.
haha, this seems like a totally unconvincing messy argument.
hahahhahahahahahahaa, my mom is really funny. I was having greenbean soup while typing this post and she just asked me, "Why is 'porkluck' called 'porkluck' and not 'beefluck' or something else?"
I replied that I do not know and that it was "potluck" and not "porkluck" before I burst out laughing when she told me she smsed everyone but no one corrected her. and traces of uneaten greenbean popped out from my mouth landing on the keyboard while I was trying to consume the rest before laughing on.
Anyways, I'm quite glad my Orient Express isn't as shitty as it was. Though its still far from the minimal standard.. I think Mr Ho is very biased. Yesterday he kept picking on Debra for nothing. I think his calling of names scares people who don't know he does that randomly, unless he's really calling that person, which only happens once out of ten - I suppose he just wants to get us more engaged. I think he has given up hope on me that's why he doesn't scold me for talking during band, 'cos i lack both skills and discipline. Or maybe he has difficulty calling me. I don't like it when he keeps calling Joanne "Joanna", I feel very irritated.
I think one of the few things about me that's still the same now as when I was in NYCB is that I still have ulcers. I think I need to learn how to play such that I don't cause more ulcers in addition to the ones I already have now and then. But I don't know how.
Hmms, I hope that I can go to school in a car tomorrow. Mom got to borrow her company's car because the dispatch has gone on a two-week holiday. If I do, then I'll be early tomorrow! =) Hopefully the QMs will open the door before I reach. The other time I took a taxi to school and thus was early, they were late. Its bad luck. *cross my fingers*
But my dad's highly unreliable on such things. So most likely I'll have to depend on myself again.
I like the office politics in Mom's company, or rather, the lack of it. Maybe its because theirs is a engineering and construction company, there's nothing much if be scheming about, unless you have nothing better to do. There doesn't seem to be very much formality other than what's necessary for proper work. A group of them play badminton every Friday, different people are absent some weeks, while others are only present some weeks. Anyway, Mom's old friend Uncle Lim will help with the weekly online booking of the courts, and its really a simple friendly relationship the employees have.
Like when Mom's whole department (actually its just her and 2 assistants) each got a hamper (there were 17 up for grabs) out of the 80 over employees, the others complained "accounts department kelong!" ('cos Mom's this year's activities chairperson so she was asked to pick from a bag of names)
Then after finding out that the best hamper was won by someone working at a site office, Mom asked to swop and the others were agreeable!
Hmms, how did I know all these? I was at her office on Friday ma.
I had to go for a medical check-up for the Maldives trip so we met at Novena Square in the afternoon but there was a queue at the clinic so we went shopping for my New Year clothes. haha, I think she's more concerned about getting them than I am. Though I was the greedy one - got 3 tops and 1 skirt all in the same boutique in under an hour. Shopping record for me. Usually when I shop for things, I can end up buying nothing. I think this time it's because there's only a few days left.
I admire people with persuasive powers. Although many people have it, I simply admire anyone who has it because I don't. Its not easy.
At the clinic, there was this young boy who was making weird sounds at me and when I sat down, he was poking at my back with a mini-balloon. Is it true that I have a please-disturb-me face to kids? Just a couple of weeks back when I at Causeway Point with Adeline to prepare for SAT, a little boy also came over to disturb me and Addy voiced her observation though I denied it at that point in time.
Speaking of the SAT... I found out my scores... and it was very depressing... I got only 550 for the verbal section... which is way way way below average.
AIYO! Imagine having to reinstall your entire computer system and all the peripherals and all the softwares, not once, but twice! I hate viruses to the core. Wasted like hourssssss.... After the first time I reinstalled everything, my computer got attacked by email viruses! Now I don't dare to access Outlook Express or Mircosoft Outlook.......
Have Read
'04 year-end holidays (highest number of books read in a long time)
-The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (gd read)
-Princess Diaries: Third Time Lucky by Meg Cabot (fun read)
-Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (must read - inspirational)
-Slab Rat by Ted Heller (full of office politics and R21 stuff - not for kids)
-The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (makes u want to finish it)
-A walk to remember by Nicholas Sparks (simple but meaningful)
-The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (can identify with)
-The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (romantic love story with too much R21 stuff)
-Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks (even more R21. ugh)
-The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
-Unstrung Heroes by Franz Lidz (autobiography about his four uncles and father)
-The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
-The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (very unique POV of an autistic boy)
-The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux (love the breadth of the plot, one of my favourites)
-Wild Orchids by Jude Deveraux (alternating between two first persons' view - unique, but don't like e plot)
-Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder (philosophy tb in a story; gets abit dry though plot saved)
-forgot what i read...-
-Working Wonders by Jenny Colgan (story of an urban planner)
-Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (impressive intelligence with bits of great humour)
-Just between Us by Cathy Kelly (thickest bk i've ever read-600+pg, too long for me but not bad)
ha, started a few bks but didn't enjoy them enough to read more.
'06
-Life of Pi by Yann Martel (novel based on true story; a lot to learn from the book - animals, religions,
survival, appreciation of simplicity; marvelous descriptions of both the tangible and the intangible,
such that I could feel their realness; bits of very enjoyable humour; a must read)
-The Complete Analects of Confucius, Volume 1 - Asiapac Comic Series (some good teachings.
didn't read everything though)
-The Parable of the Pipeline by Burke Hedges (lent to me by Shujun; like she said, its a short version
of Rich Dad Poor Dad - good financial tips)
-The Alchemist by Paul Coelho (simple story with deep meaning)
-Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
(hai, doesn't seem to be working for me - cos im not applying..)
-haven't been updating from Jun'06 to Jul'07-
'07
-Take a Chance by Sarah Webb (very interesting twist towards the end)
'08
-A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer (very saddening. made me realise how significant family is in how a child behaves)
-Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden (refreshing book with many pics)
-The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Rui Zafon (amazing how people can think of so much plot to pack into one book, wld b a gd tv series)
-The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (the story is interesting but i think the ending cld hv been better written)
-This Book Will Save Your Life by A.M. Homes (a bit thought-provoking on relationships but i didnt like e abrupt ending)
-Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner (gd knowledge but partly qte repetitive)
-For One More Day by Mitch Albom
-The C Words by Mark Mason (made me keep wanting to read on. light & funny)
'09
-Return to Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux (another good read from Deveraux)
-The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (gosh such vivid descriptions! very well written book. i liked d theme of friendship and the realness of the story)
'10
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (a must-read!! i love the expressed thoughts of the protagonist, esp those about friendships, and the writing style - it seems like she's telling me her story specifically to me)
How to Save Your Own Life by Michael Gates Gill (an inspiring read, for emotional liberation and greater joy in life)
Reading
on hold
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
Waiting for chance to get hold of
The Little White Car by Danuta de Rhodes
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon or The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
My Left Foot by Christy Brown
Gotai Fumanzoku or An Unsatisfactory Body (Translated into English as No One's Perfect) by Hirotada Otatake
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Other Recommended Readings by Marc
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin – Few books have had as significant an impact on the way society views the natural world and the genesis of humankind.
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell – Gladwell looks at how a small idea, or product concept, can spread like a virus and spark global sociological changes. Specifically, he analyzes “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable.”
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens – This is a tale that lingers on the topic of attaining and maintaining a disciplined heart as it relates to one’s emotional and moral life. Dickens states that we must learn to go against “the first mistaken impulse of the undisciplined heart.”
Lolita – This is the kind of book that blows your mind wide open to conflicting feelings of life, love and corruption… and at times makes you deeply question your own perceptions of each. The story is as devious as it is beautiful.
Getting Things Done by David Allen – The quintessential guide to organizing your life and getting things done. Nuff said.
How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman – 900 pages of simple instructions on how to cook everything you could ever dream of eating. Pretty much the greatest cookbook ever written. Get through a few recipes each week, and you’ll be a master chef by the time you’re 30.
Honeymoon with My Brother by Franz Wisner – Franz Wisner had it all… a great job and a beautiful fiancée. Life was good. But then his fiancée dumped him days before their wedding, and his boss basically fired him. So he dragged his younger brother to Costa Rica for his already-scheduled honeymoon and they never turned back… around the world they went for two full years. This is a fun, heartfelt adventure story about life, relationships, and self discovery.
Self-note: Tip for my future business =D
give employees reasonably high pay to keep them- otherwise they are unlikely to stay loyal.
treat employees not according to how well they treat me but how conscientious they are at work
(of course, musn't expect them to only do work throughout the entire working hours -
give some breathing space too, we are humans, not machines) Movies watched(listing started on 6jan08)
in cinema from VCD/DVD
1Sep07: "Hairspray" w TK, GH & SH
14Sep07: "Ratatouille" w mom & extended family
28Dec07: "The Pianist" w Jus & Pam (heartbreaking but good lessons; i recommend!)
2Jan08: "I Am Legend" w Sherm (scary! but good acting; thought provoking; i recommend!)
5-6Jan08: "A Good Year" alone (excellent show! i like the acting; funny; good lessons; touches my heart; i recommend!)
11Jan08: "Le Grand Chef" w WLing, JT & Irene (good! funny, very touching, :) nice; watch if like humour+meaning+food)
7Feb08 (CNY 初一): "Ah Long Pte Ltd" w parents (pretty hilarious - but u gotta understand dialects, some teary parts. wells typical of jack neo movies but with diff content)
11Mar08: "The Leap Year" w Sherm (so sweet! :) and apart from couple relationship it touches the theme of mother-daughter and best friends too)
6Jun08: "P.S. I Love You" w Sherm (don't know if its coz we watched it on laptop, coz it didn't impress me as much as it did for him in cinema)
8Jun08: "The Forbidden Kingdom" w Lisa, Karen & Sandy (ums..guess i'm really not into kungfu)
8Jun08: "What Happens in Vegas" w Lisa, Karen & Sandy (simple,relaxing show)
7Jul08: "我和狗狗的10个约定" w Sherm, his ma & sisters (very simple,touching but actually not my type of show)
10Jul08: "Before Sunrise" w Sherm (hmm maybe watchg on laptop really affects appreciatn of movies..)
30Sep08: "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" w Sherm (i didn't like it as much as i thought i wld when i saw the ads)
31Dec08: "Yes Man" w Mom (inspiring and funny)
11Feb08: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" w Mom (not as impressive as i thought it wld be)
1Jul09: "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" w Yumei, YY & Matt (the best thing was the soundtrack. heh.)
14Aug09: "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra" w Joyce (it was awesome! best action movie i've ever watched)
17Aug09: "Food, Inc." w SYL & RuiQ (learnt some stuff abt the American food industry but it was a bit boring and not worth the $10)
22Sep09: "The Time Traveller's Wife" w WB, VanD, WLing, CHL, Irene, VanQ, Mf, Pg (i liked it. having read the book really helps w udsg)
21Nov09: "Gokusen" w Mf, Eva, Tony, Sarah (funny inspirational movie)
24Dec09: "十月围城" w Tony, WLing, VanQ (action action and a bit funny? tony criticised the plot. my fav scene was the running n jumping through the crowd along the five-foot ways w/o cuts)
30Dec09: "Sherlock Holmes" w Irene, Tony, Sweetee (my favourite genre of books made into a movie - what else can be more cool? acting effects humour excitement suspense all in)
12Jan10: "Avatar 3D" w Mom (didn't appreciate the digital effects which everyone wowed about. content etc was so-so. cathay's 3D glasses were too heavy for me)
8Feb10: "The Truman Show" w Ky n sis n Yuhshin (a must-watch. very thought-provoking, funny. reminder to be spontaneous and create your life the way you want, instead of falling into a typical routine
14Feb10: "New York, I Love You" w Mom (I loved it! a good couple movie with meaningful pointers to keep it going. but i think some stories could be more developed)
16Feb10: rewatched "The Pianist" (still find it good, tho i still feel first viewings are the best)
17Feb10: "Valentine's Day" w CHL n WB (laughed throughout - a feel-good movie; liked the fact that the various stories binded tog so well with the little surprises here and there, vs NY ILU in which each story was separate)
20Feb10: "赤壁二" w Addy, Karen, Sharon, SJ (should have watched the first one first cos i ended up not knowing who's who and what's happening and had to keep asking :/ and couldn't pay attn.. if not i think it should be a pretty good movie..)
4Mar10: "Alice in Wonderland 3D" w Mf (i found the 3D effects of this @ CCK Shaw SO much better than Avatar @ The Cathay =/ and the movie was much more enjoyable too! - cheered a sad me up :)) favourite quote - the Mad Hatter: “You used to be much muchier before. ... You have lost your muchness.”)
18Mar10: "Nodame Cantabile" w Irene, Mf (i thoroughly enjoyed some of the orchestra pieces - SO impressive! the expressions of the actors were really amusing :D)
23Apr10: "Ice Kacang Puppy Love" w Mom (funny, touching and meaningful - about love between friends and family. i cried 3 tissues! cos some touching parts i could really understand the feelings of the characters involved)
Inception
Letters to God (very simple Christian movie)
22Nov10: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" w Ame, Irene (they loved it. pretty good, i guess the main problem i had was that im not familiar with HP :X)
13Dec10: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" w Sj (not bad, could follow the story unlike HP. like the meaningful teachings, too long - in a post)
2Mar11: "The King's Speech" w Ame (hilarious, inspirational, tho it doesn't impress me that much to understand why it's the Oscar winner)
Mar11: "10 Things I Hate About You" very funny. silly sweet high school romance. just right for having breaks in between doing homework
23May11: "Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides" w Wb Yl Ame Pg (pretty good - scenery, freakish parts, fighting scenes, dressing, humour, bits of Christianity like when the Spanish said "only God gives life")
6Jun11: "Xmen First Class" w Wb Ame Pg (i was very keen on watching it and it was really good! intellectual, makes sense, cool action, some humour)
9Jun11: "Legally Blonde 2" w Irene (seems like some dumb blonde movie but kind of meaningful too - speaking up for yourself and what you stand for)
17Jun11: "Something Borrowed" w Sandy Lisa (quite funny, somewhat meaningful wrt friendships. they didn't like the lack of sense for one part tho)
16Jul11: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" w Irene, Sweetee, Kw (not bad. i didn't understand some parts again but the humour and effects were pretty good)
Aug11 "Horrible Bosses" w Ma (she fell asleep! gosh. the movie was very crude i must say but there was the humour)
25Oct11: "The Three Musketeers" w H (i would rate it 3.5 for humour/intellectual language and 4 for action. it's by the same producer or director as Sherlock! but a bit less awesome albeit a good chill out movie)
5Nov11: "Real Steel" w Hl (action packed but not too hardcore for me. i liked that there was the father and son element and how the father eventually softened his heart and especially the part when charlie was having trouble telling max sth and max was so understanding saying "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." touching and demonstrates true fighting spirit)
12Dec11: "50/50" w L (adopting her words - a heavy topic put across in a lighthearted way, but not taking away d meaning. most of it was rather hollywood-ish trashiness but there were a couple of punch lines "u can't change ur parents, but u can change d way u respond to them.")
25Dec11: "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" w KY (ultimate action packed! super tense almost throughout the movie, and interesting Tom Cruise made it such that not everything happened smoothly - he would jump and misland and get all sorts of injuries..it's really the courage to jump without hesitation even though you are not sure you'll be alive after that. KY loved d movie and said she would watch it again!)
3Jan12: "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" w KY (i love mystery (: and the witty sarcastic dialogues. good level of excitement with the action. didn't understand some parts as usual. i like Holmes and Watson they depict such a true pair of buddies ;D)
23Jan12: "You are the Apple of My Eye" w mom (now i understand why guys like this movie so much - the anxiety of chasing after a girl and the acts schoolboys do to get the girl's attention and hopefully affection. the initial fluttering and the subsequent quarrelling)
22Mar12: "The Iron Lady" w KY (really love Thatcher's sharp words. inspiring and thought-provoking, tho i was still left uncertain of what to do with my life, the movie is definitely an encouraging one)
29Mar12: "Barney's Version" w SJ (a funny movie of a screwed up life of a man who had 3 wives, smoked and drank but very heartwarming at the same time, the relationships with the dad and the 3th wife - quotable quotes!)
27Apr12: "The Hunger Games" w Mom
4May12" "Avengers" w MF n PS (funny, action-packed)
7Jul12: "The Amazing Spiderman"
21Jul12: "The Dark Knight Rises" (fantastic depth, loved the twists)
20Aug12: "ParaNorman" w Mom (simple funny animated movie, heartwarming support)
Performances watched (listing started on 25Apr10)
20Jan10: Patrick Marber's Closer by outoftheBLUE, NUS Science w Pam (
13Mar10: The Rain Came Down Like Pearls the Night I Died... The New Musical - Sing & Tell by Mark Chan w Addy & Jy
21Mar10: Quintessence by NUSCO w CHL