We are the Rolling Stones

No, it may sound nice, but it is not the name of anything hip or cool.

Well, actually that’s the name of my “Family”.

My Family lasted for only an hour today during the Geography lesson.

Yes, G-E-O-G-R-A-P-H-Y.

It may sound ‘lame’ to you, but I think that it’s a very good way of grouping us into…err…Families, just to do a group – no, Family-work on the chapter of “Reasons for Uneven Development In The World”.

She used her child’s (I believe it’s so) “Happy Family” playing cards to group us into families of four.

Nice idea, right?

I must praise that it’s very creative of her to think of using the cards. I would not have thought of that myself (I seldom think out of the box).

So, nicely and smoothly, we are grouped — and having the chance to work with other classmates whom we seldom talk to. Those cards really make us move out of our comfort zones, successfully.

So, I was “transsexual” and become the son of the (Rolling) Stone Family [Note: There are 2 Stone Families in our class as the original pack of cards only have 36 cards, and there are 40 of us in the class. So, we named ourselves "Rolling Stones" to differentiate ourselves from the other Stone Family].

My other Family members are K.H. (Ma Ma), S.Y. (Pa Pa) and K.N. (Sis).

Our topic to be done is “Colonialism”. We have to write the advantages and disadvantages it has on the development of a country.

Summarising the textbook, we ended up with only two points for each pros and cons, and one example each.

OK, we did work as a Family, but I know that it’s still somehow awkward when we discussed about what to write for the mind-map.

So, after the mind-map was done, and there were still some minutes left before the lesson end, Pa Pa and Sis were busy chatting with each other, Ma Ma was doodling on the mind-map and I was trying to split my concentration on looking at my neighbour’s work, listening to the conversation between Pa Pa and Sis, and looking at the doodles Ma Ma had drawn.

Waiting awkwardly, the lesson finally ended and I quickly sped back to my seat, becoming myself again.

Well, the idea is great, but I think…we still need some time before we can get used to working with our not-so-close classmates.

*Sigh*

Happy Valentine’s Day

14 February.

Yes, it’s coming. Very soon.

Valentine’s Day…what is its significance to you?

It is just purely giving presents and chocolates to your boyfriend/ girlfriend?

I think there should be something more than that.

Valentine’s Day can be a day where you buy chocolate for your best friends, thanking them for going through the thick and thin together with you— just like what your spouse would do.

Valentine’s Day can be a day where you buy chocolate for your parents, thanking them for bringing you up.

So…make this Valentine’s Day as special as you can make it.

Don’t just stick to the customs. Be creative!

Let Us Applaud For Them

Cry, if you cannot help it.

I came to know this video via a meaningful chain mail. It contains the story of this two people. [However, I cannot verify the story on whether it's credible or not.]

The lady in her 30s was a dancer and was trained as one since she was a little girl.

Later she got into some kind of accident and lost her entire left arm. She was depressed for a few years.

It seemed that someone asked her to coach a Children’s dancing group. From that point on, she realized she could not forget dancing.

She still loved to dance.

She wanted to dance again. So she started to do some of her old routines.

But by her losing an arm, she also lost her balance. It took a while before she could even making simple turns and spins without falling.

Eventually she got it.

Then she heard that a guy in his 20s had lost a leg in an accident.

This guy also fell into the usual denial, depression and anger type of emotional roller coaster.

She looked him up (seemingly he was from a different Province) and persuaded him to dance with her.

He had never danced. And to dance with one leg? Are you joking with me?

No way.

But she didn’t give up.

He reluctantly agreed. ” I have nothing else to do anyway.”

She started to teach him dancing 101.

The two broke up a few times because the guy had no concept of using muscle, control his body, and a few other basic things about dancing.

When she became frustrated and lost patience with him, he would walk out.

Eventually they came back together and started training.

They hired a choreographer to design routines for them.

She would fly high (held by him) with both arms (a sleeve for an arm) flying in the air. He could bend horizontally supported by one leg and she leaning on him, etc.

They danced beautifully and they legitimately beat others in the competition.

Had their burning passion and determination to live on and to its fullest already touched you?

New Year Resolutions

My Maths teacher once commented, upon seeing our class’ New Year Resolution, that if somebody is able to keep to their wishes/promises, they don’t need any New Year Resolutions.

Well, it is somehow true.

For example, one of my New Year Resolution is to “pass my 2.4km run”, which I know is impossible, every year.

However, what he had commented may not be too true too…

Some people may take New Year Resolutions as a written promise, and stick to it for that year.

Who knows?

I wonder how does New Year Resolutions originate?

Was it by some dummies who would just forget what are their goals for the year in a second?

Was it by some boastful people who wants the whole world to know what great plans they had ahead for the year?

Was it by some clever people who think that this is a good way of reminding yourself to keep on the track towards your destinations in life?

No matter what, this New Year Resolutions thing differ in each person’s mind. Some think that it’s good while others don’t.

As for me…

As usual, I would sit on the fence.

Happy Chinese New Year

Here the Rat comes.

Actually, the rat already came on Monday, 4 Feb, as said by some experts.

However, it seems like no one cares about it.

True.Who wants to follow it when we can get five days of rest by following the current calendar? (We only get four days of rest if we were to follow the traditional and true calendar)

So, I went to my relatives’ house today.

I wore a ankle-length red skirt, a white tee and carried a black sling bag (It is not that I don’t believe in dressing up in festive colours, but I’ve got only one sling bag at home, and it’s black).

The ride on the bus was terrible. People were packed like sardin. I almost fell down on the bus several times. From the starting point to my destination, I simply had no chance to take a seat. It was THAT crowded. (And, Oops, I accidentally ‘molested’ a woman who was standing beside me, because the bus just jerked very vigorously, and I was poor at maintaining my balance)

Finally, my family and I reached my Grandma’s house (my Grandpa had died years ago) in perfect condition. A little comedy was being played in the house and soon, the house was full of laughter for some minutes. Here’s the funny parts:

[Background Information: My mother's name is Yu Ying (Chinese Han Yu Ping Ying). My Grandma is a diabetic, and has poor eyesight. Her nickname is Lei-ah. My father's nickname is Lai-ah.]

#1:

Grandma: (Upon seeing Father) Who are you?

Father: (Kidding) I’m Lei-ah.

Grandma: (Believing) Ah? You have the same name as me?

#2:

Grandma: (Upon seeing Mather) Who are you?

Mother: I’m Yu Ying.

Grandma: (In a state of ‘blur’) Huh? Who are you?

Mother: I’m Yu Ying.

Grandma: ‘Ti Deng’? (It is a Hokkien word for metal nail)

Hahax…and laughing all the way, we went to my mother’s relative side at Jurong East.

Nothing interesting happened there…and we all went home, feeling extremely tired (except for my brother who still went out to catch a movie with his friends at 7pm and will only come back at 12 midnight).

The biggest gift for all these tiredness?

Ang-baos! (Hokkien word for red packets)

Oh, and a Happy Chinese New Year to you too!!

At The Crossroad

Everyone will go through this, I guess. Well, I must say it IS weird, for something as big as a school Choir (well, actually, it’s not that big…it’s only 38-strong, currently) to be going through this stage too.

Now I doubt. I doubt why did I chose Choir as my first choice for CCA when I just stepped into my secondary school life.

I thought that it was because I did not get my chance to join a Choir in primary school when I was being recommended by my Maths teacher then. It was all because of that stupid cough, it ruined my chance. Never mind, so I thought that I would join Choir when I get to choose my CCA in secondary school.

Oh dumb, and I sometimes regret about it when things go all wrong in Choir: the bias conductor, members who are not united, crazy ideas, and useless ideas that seem nice in the mind. Note: I regret joining Choir only OCCASIONALLY.

Most of the time, I may seem indifferent at school, but actually, sometimes, I really dislike going to Choir. (Especially when there’s the conductor conducting)

I don’t know. I’m not quite a forgiving person. I know I’m being unfair to the person, but I can’t help it. (And I will always dislike it when I see him)

So, now I thought, WHY DID I EVEN CHOOSE THIS CCA??

Well, but I must admit that though I may not like this CCA that much, I still worry for its fate.

I should have been more heartless. *Sigh* Anyway, Choir in our school is getting lesser and lesser membership every year. In short, Choir is facing an aging population crisis.

We have tried our best on Open House and CCA Recruitment Days, but the result just get worse every year.

Is it our fault that Choir land into this state, this pathetic state? Perhaps. Most of us make an impression that Choir is very “sian” (Hokkien word for “boring”), and our performances are getting from bad to worse. I know that most of us did not put in our best for Choir, and really, I must say that most of us only think about the CCA points we get at the end of the four years.

I don’t know what brainwashing has the others in other CCA gone through, making them so determined to put in lots of effort into their CCAs, treating it as one of their subjects. Obviously, Choir members have not gone through that brainwashing process.

She said that the Choir may close down, or being transformed into a hand bell Choir (or something like that). I don’t know what to say. Really.

I’m not accepting the situation, neither am I opposing it. (That’s my bad personality; I love to sit on the fence) Perhaps, I’m thinking about letting nature takes its course.

All I can think about now is that after I’m officially over-aged for the CCA this April (I’m graduating this year), I can be relieved that I need not bear the torment of listening to some inaudible screeching and shouting by the leaders anymore.

As for what the Choir will become in the future, I’ll leave it to nature, for I believe that the script has already been written.

The Bar Of Chocolate

This essay is actually written for my first English Composition assignment this year. Its original title is “My Views On Childhood” and it is originally written on 16 Jan. This is the edited version of it, with some minor corrections to the essay. Please do not rip (in parts or/and in whole) my composition away!

COPYRIGHT (C) AngelX, 2008

To many grown-ups, the adjective “enjoyable” simply means “giving pleasure”, without them really understanding the true meaning of the word. This is because many adults are too immersed in their work to care about enjoyment. However, to a child under the age of twelve, “enjoyable” can be defined as many things, notably having more time and special privileges, and leading a carefree life. According to this definition, I would say I believe that living through childhood is like eating a bar of chocolate —— it is enjoyable from the start till the end.

Firstly, children have more leisure time to spend than teenagers and adults. School hours are usually not long for most children, and they do not have much homework. After they have done their homework, they are usually left alone by their parents at home, and are free to use the computer, watch the television or do any other things they want that are safe. In comparison to teenagers and adults who have long boring working time and little, no no leisure time to spend, being a child is much more enjoyable.

Secondly, children are usually not held responsible for the mistakes that they make. I remember vividly the time when I was only five-years-old and I saw the carton of eggs that our neighbour gave to my mother on the table top. The eggs must have, in one way or another, fascinated me much for I tried to reach for it by standing on tiptoes. However, due to my clumsiness, my hand hit the carton and the eggs just dropped to the ground, like exploded bombs. I thought that I was bound to get a scolding from my mother, and I hid myself behind the curtain, but it was a futile effort. My little feet were already exposed as the short curtain is not long enough to cover my feet. I was eventually found by my mother, but to my surprise, my mother did not scold me at all for the broken eggs. Instead, she laughed at me for hiding behind the curtain, which was an obviously useless hiding spot. She even praised me and told me that my frightened look looked cute. Reflecting on this incident, I believe that if the scenario was to change and it was a teenager who broke the eggs, a scolding from the parents would be almost inevitable. For minor mistakes, a child would be forgiven easily as most of us think that it is usual for children to make mistakes. Therefore, being a child is pleasant.

Thirdly, children enjoy more privileges than teenagers and adults who are older than them. On the first of October, many children would be celebrating Children’s Day with their families as they would not have to attend school on that day. However, such privilege is not entitled to teenagers and adults, who would still need to study or work on Children’s Day, despite the fact that they were also children years ago. Though teenagers have their Youth Day, most of the time, they would still be rushing to finish their homework on that day. Thus, better privileges are often offered to the children, making over aged children jealous of their blessed childhood.

However, some people may think that childhood is not enjoyable as children do not enjoy much freedom. Most of them have strict curfews, which when broken, could bring them a scolding from their parents. Most of the time, they are not allowed to use tools such as penknives and kitchen knives without adult supervision. On the other hand, I believe that childhood is enjoyable as unlike freedom that can be attained when the child becomes older, pure happiness that a child experiences during childhood is usually gone for good when the child grows up.

Childhood is really like a bar of chocolate. It is delicious and makes you happy. Moreover, you enjoy it when you have it; you yearn for it when it is gone.

COPYRIGHT (C) AngelX, 2008

E-mail

I must confess. I love e-mailing than chatting on MSN.

I don’t know why, but it seems like seeing your e-mail inbox always being full (excluding those irritating and deserved-to-be-deleted spams) makes you happy. At least, for me.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that many of your friends are still willing to stay in touch with you via email?

E-mailing is so hassle-free, no need to restock your stamps, no need to walk to the mailbox, and no need to waste any paper and ink. An email can be typed in a relatively short time, provided that you are not a slow-typist. Anyone can just reply quickly and easily back to their friends’ emails.

I used to write letters the traditional way (Well, who doesn’t?) and didn’t think that it’s any troublesome thing. Then when I grow up, I found that my homework are eating into my time, and I have lesser and lesser time to spare on my beloved letters. In the end, my obsession with letters just dried up.

So, that’s how I turned to emails, though I must say that I’m a bit irritated by those chain mails.

Chain mails are just meaningless emails,well, for most of the time. The most meaningful ones are those trying to spread beliefs of treasuring your friends, and your beloved ones. The others are quite absurd, and even worse, obsence. (Go to hell!)

In the end, I had to delete all of those meaningless ones, feeling irritated that there’s not much meaningful and worth to be treasured ones emails…

Nevertheless, I’m still hooked on emailing. *laughs*

Number Unknown

This is my blog. Yes, my blog. My number unknown blog.

It must be one of my bad habits; signing up for a blog and neglect it soon after that. Or perhaps, I should justify it by saying that “It’s because I’m too busy to update my blogs”.

I believe that many people are guilty of that, not just me. Life just drive us too crazy…

What am I going to write in this blog?

Actually, I ain’t sure about it myself. Perhaps just writing some random things. Not politics, though. I know nothing about it.

Perhaps some argumentative stuff? Or perhaps practicing writing some short stories? Or writing reflections?

Too bad I cannot upload my midis.

Yeeps, and sorry if my thoughts do jump around too much.

Anyway, I would leave it to nature for deciding this blog’s fate.

I have a feeling that it may not be a good one.