Have you ever seen a blog with as many posts?
Anything as interactive?
Probably, but its still worth taking a look.
Check out hyper-pen.blogspot.com.
LOVE IT! LIVE IT! ZHAO IT!
Anything is better than a fish in a bowl
~YOULOOKLIKEAFOOLWITHAFISHINABOWL~
Still, 2A1 class humour is one thing that one will always remember. Reminiscent of how people would be systematically name-called, i mean called by the name from familiar voices, leaving the class roaring with laughter. Nicknames are one thing that are not in lacking. GRASSOAT and LEOJ are best friend! Such imaginary characters bring life into the dull life that the life of a 2A1 student's life is thrust into. A life of lively lifelessness. How... livening.
Still, 2A1 class humour should have a ticketing booth.
$8 for a good laugh! Come to 2A1!
Or maybe a jokebook.
Still, i would like to take this time to thank all the special people in 2A1 that make it so interesting. Oh, and that includes you. BOON
Thursday, August 19, 2010
When the knife comes down.... we petition
Hello Everyone!
The tests have finally ended, finishing on a very late note at about 3pm in the afternoon today. Still, academic horror... i mean scholastic horror has not ended yet.
Just about 3 days ago, there was a very shocking announcement (one which i knew the contents of at June when Gary told us).
YOU NEED A B3 in INDEPENDENT STUDIES IF YOU ARE TO STILL HAVE YOUR SKIN IN IP.
Audience: @#%!#(^$)(*!
Isn't it shocking? Personally, i find this really quite a harsh blow. B3! Wow that is really difficult. Especially with almost no avenue out. Imagine Term 1 and 2. With an average of 4 ACE for every subject. Then, your projects day barely gets to finals. And still, you will just barely hit the B3. I hope.
Now, there has been talk of a Qsortium. Isn't it cool!
QSpace. QRoom. QClass. QQ
The fear of 3Q has escalated from outright shock to just pure insanity, relishing in the fact that 3Q was a very possible location for all students of the Sec 2 cohort.
God save us all.
The tests have finally ended, finishing on a very late note at about 3pm in the afternoon today. Still, academic horror... i mean scholastic horror has not ended yet.
Just about 3 days ago, there was a very shocking announcement (one which i knew the contents of at June when Gary told us).
YOU NEED A B3 in INDEPENDENT STUDIES IF YOU ARE TO STILL HAVE YOUR SKIN IN IP.
Audience: @#%!#(^$)(*!
Isn't it shocking? Personally, i find this really quite a harsh blow. B3! Wow that is really difficult. Especially with almost no avenue out. Imagine Term 1 and 2. With an average of 4 ACE for every subject. Then, your projects day barely gets to finals. And still, you will just barely hit the B3. I hope.
Now, there has been talk of a Qsortium. Isn't it cool!
QSpace. QRoom. QClass. QQ
The fear of 3Q has escalated from outright shock to just pure insanity, relishing in the fact that 3Q was a very possible location for all students of the Sec 2 cohort.
God save us all.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Indeed it was Grand
Woah!
This years Project's Day really paid off! I have never even gotten close to GRAND before. Yet, it feels very half-hearted, as this project has truly drained the bulk of our energy for this year. Constantly adding improvements, new products and ideas, it has been a non-stop journey, and its not over yet.
2nd September here we come.
Still, its not done yet. We have to execute the product and see the response of students.The "prepare for _____ round" process has reseted, but its not just any sort of reset. It has been reseted for maximum difficulty. Not many groups get to be GRANDed,and this is our first time. Experience from past GRANDings are hard to find. Still, as a group, we'll have to stick this through.
2nd September. And 3/4 of the group have a car wash to organise on Teacher's Day, 31st August. Woah, it is after the tests that we are truly busy. How unexpected.
Oh well, i would really like to thank my group for putting in so much effort into this project. Hope you all feel its paid off!
This years Project's Day really paid off! I have never even gotten close to GRAND before. Yet, it feels very half-hearted, as this project has truly drained the bulk of our energy for this year. Constantly adding improvements, new products and ideas, it has been a non-stop journey, and its not over yet.
2nd September here we come.
Still, its not done yet. We have to execute the product and see the response of students.The "prepare for _____ round" process has reseted, but its not just any sort of reset. It has been reseted for maximum difficulty. Not many groups get to be GRANDed,and this is our first time. Experience from past GRANDings are hard to find. Still, as a group, we'll have to stick this through.
2nd September. And 3/4 of the group have a car wash to organise on Teacher's Day, 31st August. Woah, it is after the tests that we are truly busy. How unexpected.
Oh well, i would really like to thank my group for putting in so much effort into this project. Hope you all feel its paid off!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Merchant of Venice (WHAT?)
Somehow... i have this feeling that the Merchant of Venice... is actually a play on words. Shylock is actually....... THE MERCHANT OF DEATH.
His twisted vengeance is creepy.
His twisted vengeance is creepy.
Monday, July 26, 2010
It consumes
“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it.”
It has been the fourth death in a year. It is very scary. Its like everyone is rushing to leave this world. Sadly, it hasn't been the case.
Now, up with the Car Wash event feeling very hopeless, it all seems very bleak.Hopefully. Just hopefully, it will work out.
Meantime, horror will unfold on Wednesday, i just hope my aunt is ready. Not reading up or researching on such treatment is highly not recommended. Yet, shes still to busy to even check it out. Oh well, wishing her all the best!
It has been the fourth death in a year. It is very scary. Its like everyone is rushing to leave this world. Sadly, it hasn't been the case.
Now, up with the Car Wash event feeling very hopeless, it all seems very bleak.Hopefully. Just hopefully, it will work out.
Meantime, horror will unfold on Wednesday, i just hope my aunt is ready. Not reading up or researching on such treatment is highly not recommended. Yet, shes still to busy to even check it out. Oh well, wishing her all the best!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Thats one more
Its been only half a year. Its saddening how many can go in just a mere six months. After every hundred days another begins. How.. tragic. Sometimes i just hope that all this will go away. I've never shed/seen so many tears in such a short time.
Its scary.
Its scary.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
HOMELEARNING TASK Poety Rainbow Death
Difficulty Rating: * *
Rainbow Death
America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.
Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!
Hubert Wilson
TASK 1-
• Perform research on the poem and write a report
• Detail the conflict represented in the poems of my choice
This poem is based in the Vietnam War, were the US waged herbicidal warfare against the Vietnamese.
Agent Orange-
It is the code name for the herbicide defoliant contaminated with TCDD (tetrachlorodibenzodioxin). Agent orange is responsible for 400,00 deaths and disabilities and 500,000 children born with birth defects.
Agent Green-
It is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant, its name originating from the green stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents.
Agent Pink-
It is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant, its name originating from the pink stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents. It was used during the early “testing” stages of the spraying program before 1964.
Agent Purple-
It is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant, its name originating from the purple stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents. It is similar to Agent Orange and his contaminated with TCDD too.
Other colours- Rainbow Herbicides
There was still Agent Blue and Agent White which was also used in the Herbicidal Warfare waged in Vietnam,
Herbicidal Warfare-
It is a form of chemical warfare with the objective of destroying the plant-based ecosystem of an area. In the Vietnam War, it was used to destroy the Vietcong’s forest cover and food supply.
Potpourri-
It is a mixture of dried naturally fragrant plant material. It is used in homes to give the air a pleasant smell.
Unborn-
Not born or brought to being used, to describe the foetus.
Task 2
1. Point of View
The poem is written from a bystander’s point of view, choosing to narrate the consequences of the Rainbow Herbicides by giving lamenting on its effects on the unborn.
2. Situation and Setting
The situation is America’s failure to foresee the effects of its chemicals. It is set in the modern world, after the Vietnam War, where the horrors and effects of war are beginning to set in.
3. Language/Diction
The poet chooses to use a playful sort of tone, almost mocking America’s mistake. The language used can only be understood by those who were affected by the Herbicidal War waged in Vietnam. Who is to understand what agent orange spray is unless your crops have been killed by it or that you have unleashed it?
4. Personal Response
The poet’s choice of words is splendid. With effective use of imagery, he is able to convey the message in a very ironic way. Using Rainbows, commonly associated with happiness, or even a pot of gold, is continuously shown to cause misery to the victims of Agent Orange. The last sentence wraps his entire poem up in a sleek way explaining everything. Almost like a micro-fiction, where the final sentence reveals all. When a person first reads the poem , he may be lost as a colour cannot kill a man, but the final sentence tells that the colour is merely a representation of the herbicide that can unleash horrors on the unborn.
Acknowledgements:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Green
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Pink
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicidal_Warfare#Vietnam_War
http://www.answers.com/topic/agent-orange
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potpourri
http://www.yourdictionary.com/unborn
Rainbow Death
America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.
Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!
Hubert Wilson
TASK 1-
• Perform research on the poem and write a report
• Detail the conflict represented in the poems of my choice
This poem is based in the Vietnam War, were the US waged herbicidal warfare against the Vietnamese.
Agent Orange-
It is the code name for the herbicide defoliant contaminated with TCDD (tetrachlorodibenzodioxin). Agent orange is responsible for 400,00 deaths and disabilities and 500,000 children born with birth defects.
Agent Green-
It is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant, its name originating from the green stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents.
Agent Pink-
It is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant, its name originating from the pink stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents. It was used during the early “testing” stages of the spraying program before 1964.
Agent Purple-
It is the code name for a powerful herbicide and defoliant, its name originating from the purple stripe painted on the barrels to identify the contents. It is similar to Agent Orange and his contaminated with TCDD too.
Other colours- Rainbow Herbicides
There was still Agent Blue and Agent White which was also used in the Herbicidal Warfare waged in Vietnam,
Herbicidal Warfare-
It is a form of chemical warfare with the objective of destroying the plant-based ecosystem of an area. In the Vietnam War, it was used to destroy the Vietcong’s forest cover and food supply.
Potpourri-
It is a mixture of dried naturally fragrant plant material. It is used in homes to give the air a pleasant smell.
Unborn-
Not born or brought to being used, to describe the foetus.
Task 2
1. Point of View
The poem is written from a bystander’s point of view, choosing to narrate the consequences of the Rainbow Herbicides by giving lamenting on its effects on the unborn.
2. Situation and Setting
The situation is America’s failure to foresee the effects of its chemicals. It is set in the modern world, after the Vietnam War, where the horrors and effects of war are beginning to set in.
3. Language/Diction
The poet chooses to use a playful sort of tone, almost mocking America’s mistake. The language used can only be understood by those who were affected by the Herbicidal War waged in Vietnam. Who is to understand what agent orange spray is unless your crops have been killed by it or that you have unleashed it?
4. Personal Response
The poet’s choice of words is splendid. With effective use of imagery, he is able to convey the message in a very ironic way. Using Rainbows, commonly associated with happiness, or even a pot of gold, is continuously shown to cause misery to the victims of Agent Orange. The last sentence wraps his entire poem up in a sleek way explaining everything. Almost like a micro-fiction, where the final sentence reveals all. When a person first reads the poem , he may be lost as a colour cannot kill a man, but the final sentence tells that the colour is merely a representation of the herbicide that can unleash horrors on the unborn.
Acknowledgements:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Green
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Pink
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicidal_Warfare#Vietnam_War
http://www.answers.com/topic/agent-orange
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potpourri
http://www.yourdictionary.com/unborn
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
HOMELEARNING TASK Poetry analysis we slept with our boots on
Poem Chosen:
Difficulty Rating: * * *
We Slept With Our Boots On
They unloaded the dead and maimed right before our eyes
They washed out the blood, we loaded our ruck’s and then took to the skies
Over the mountains, villages, and valleys we flew
Where we would land we had not a clue
Bullets are flying, the LZ is hot
We’re leaving this bird whether we like it or not
30 seconds they yelled, Lock N Load and grab your shit
Get ready to go and make it quick
My heart is pumping adrenalin through all of my veins
I run as fast as I can through the lead rain
The noise is tremendous, terror I can’t define
The only reason I survived that day was divine
I kept pulling the trigger and reloading and pulling some more
You do what you have to do, with that I will say no more
We fought from the valleys to the mountain peaks
From house to cave, to car to creek
Dirty and tired and hungry and scared
We slept with our boots on so we were always prepared
Those majestic mountains so steep, so high they kiss the skies
The Hindu Kush has changed so many lives
Up the mountains with heavy loads we trod
Who knew hell was so close to God
Beauty and terror are a strong mixed drink
So we drank it like drunkards and tried not to think
Good men and bad men, Mothers lost son’s
Everyone loses their innocence when they carry guns
Washed in the blood, and baptized by fire
I will never forget those who were called higher
They say blood is thicker than water, well lead is thicker than blood
Brothers aren’t born they’re earned. In the poppy fields, the tears, and the mud
And when I get to heaven to Saint Peter I will tell
Another Paratrooper reporting for duty sir, I spent my time in hell
Steve Carlsen
TASK 1-
• Perform research on the poem and write a report
• Detail the conflict represented in the poems of my choice
The author of this poem was a soldier in D Company, 1st battalion 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He was deployed to Kosovo as part of peace keeping operations and Afghanistan where he participated in combat operations. Finally, in 2003, he was honourably discharged from the Army.
Kosovo
A disputed territory in the Balkans, the territory came under the administration of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo after the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. A force of soldiers, the Kosovo Force was deployed by NATO to help maintain the peace.
Afghanistan
Having a very tumultuous political environment, there has been numerous wars and coups staged in Afghanistan, currently ruled by the Taleban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that ended the country’s civil war and anarchy. After the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC , a US , Allied and anti-taleban Northern Alliance toppled the Taleban for sheltering Osama Bin Laden- leader of the Al Qaeda responsible for the terrorist attacks.
Afghanistan has rugged mountains and plains in the north and southwest. The Hindu Kush as mentioned in the poem is a series of mountains, where earthquakes can occur. The Hindu Kush Mountains run northeast to southwest, dividing the northern provinces from the rest of the country.
Looking at the timeline for December in the year Steve Carlsen served, it is fraught with attacks by many different groups of armed militants. In a month of 31 days, there are 9 different and mostly furious gun battles between militants and the US force. Its days are littered with rocket attacks and air strikes on the US’ part.
Meanings of Military slangs:
LZ- Landing Zone
Bird- aircraft
Lock N Load-The firing line command to put the weapon's safety to the on position and load the weapon with ammunition
Hot- area under fire
Task 2
1. Point of View-
The author is writing in hindsight. He himself served through the conflict, and the point of view that he has chosen to use is fitting as it allows the reader to have a further understanding of the conflict.
Evidence: The poem is written in the past tense and includes his own personal thought on the conflict.
2. Situation and Setting
The poem is set in a conflict. “The LZ is hot”, with the author running through the “lead rain” which describes the hail of bullets that the enemy if firing. Even though the author is scared, there is no time for fear and he allows instinct to take over, “pulling the trigger and reloading” the killing is so great that it becomes like a routine.
3. Language/Diction
He questions himself a lot, wondering how he could have survived such impossible odds. He likens the conflict to a hell, with death and pain abound. He gives many of his own personal feelings and thoughts, about how he would treat his own death- if he died as “Another paratrooper reporting for duty sir, I’ve spent my time in hell”.
4. Personal Response
Conflict alone is scary enough. However, the adrenalin numbs the fear. Steve Carlsen is brave to choose to write such a poem after his conflict after all, it was on a “dare” that he wrote this poem. To look back into this conflict, Steve Carlsen realizes the full impact of the fighting. It was a “hell”. His many personal reflections on the conflict gives us how a man feels after fighting, killing and living through a conflict. I have to agree with his views.
I particularly liked his feeling that “hell was so close to god”. This just shows the entire conflicts meaning in 6 words. Hell, which was the fight that the man is going through, is so scary and terrifying. It could take his life in a gunshot, or he could take numerous with his own hand. God would be him dying, and leaving this battlefield for good.
Once again, he reiterates his point, with an enactment of what he would do when if he went to the gates of heaven. It is fine humour in the sense that he is sort of boasting of his time in “hell” to Saint Peter, “reporting for duty” in heaven. Almost as if there ought to be a place reserved for him in the fluffy kingdom of perfection we call heaven.
Acknowledgements
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo
http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo_Force
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_in_Afghanistan
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_zone
www.answers.com/topic/lock-and-load
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Resources/Glossary/Sixties_Term_Gloss_D_J.html
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Resources/Glossary/Sixties_Term_Gloss_D_J.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratrooper
Difficulty Rating: * * *
We Slept With Our Boots On
They unloaded the dead and maimed right before our eyes
They washed out the blood, we loaded our ruck’s and then took to the skies
Over the mountains, villages, and valleys we flew
Where we would land we had not a clue
Bullets are flying, the LZ is hot
We’re leaving this bird whether we like it or not
30 seconds they yelled, Lock N Load and grab your shit
Get ready to go and make it quick
My heart is pumping adrenalin through all of my veins
I run as fast as I can through the lead rain
The noise is tremendous, terror I can’t define
The only reason I survived that day was divine
I kept pulling the trigger and reloading and pulling some more
You do what you have to do, with that I will say no more
We fought from the valleys to the mountain peaks
From house to cave, to car to creek
Dirty and tired and hungry and scared
We slept with our boots on so we were always prepared
Those majestic mountains so steep, so high they kiss the skies
The Hindu Kush has changed so many lives
Up the mountains with heavy loads we trod
Who knew hell was so close to God
Beauty and terror are a strong mixed drink
So we drank it like drunkards and tried not to think
Good men and bad men, Mothers lost son’s
Everyone loses their innocence when they carry guns
Washed in the blood, and baptized by fire
I will never forget those who were called higher
They say blood is thicker than water, well lead is thicker than blood
Brothers aren’t born they’re earned. In the poppy fields, the tears, and the mud
And when I get to heaven to Saint Peter I will tell
Another Paratrooper reporting for duty sir, I spent my time in hell
Steve Carlsen
TASK 1-
• Perform research on the poem and write a report
• Detail the conflict represented in the poems of my choice
The author of this poem was a soldier in D Company, 1st battalion 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He was deployed to Kosovo as part of peace keeping operations and Afghanistan where he participated in combat operations. Finally, in 2003, he was honourably discharged from the Army.
Kosovo
A disputed territory in the Balkans, the territory came under the administration of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo after the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. A force of soldiers, the Kosovo Force was deployed by NATO to help maintain the peace.
Afghanistan
Having a very tumultuous political environment, there has been numerous wars and coups staged in Afghanistan, currently ruled by the Taleban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that ended the country’s civil war and anarchy. After the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC , a US , Allied and anti-taleban Northern Alliance toppled the Taleban for sheltering Osama Bin Laden- leader of the Al Qaeda responsible for the terrorist attacks.
Afghanistan has rugged mountains and plains in the north and southwest. The Hindu Kush as mentioned in the poem is a series of mountains, where earthquakes can occur. The Hindu Kush Mountains run northeast to southwest, dividing the northern provinces from the rest of the country.
Looking at the timeline for December in the year Steve Carlsen served, it is fraught with attacks by many different groups of armed militants. In a month of 31 days, there are 9 different and mostly furious gun battles between militants and the US force. Its days are littered with rocket attacks and air strikes on the US’ part.
Meanings of Military slangs:
LZ- Landing Zone
Bird- aircraft
Lock N Load-The firing line command to put the weapon's safety to the on position and load the weapon with ammunition
Hot- area under fire
Task 2
1. Point of View-
The author is writing in hindsight. He himself served through the conflict, and the point of view that he has chosen to use is fitting as it allows the reader to have a further understanding of the conflict.
Evidence: The poem is written in the past tense and includes his own personal thought on the conflict.
2. Situation and Setting
The poem is set in a conflict. “The LZ is hot”, with the author running through the “lead rain” which describes the hail of bullets that the enemy if firing. Even though the author is scared, there is no time for fear and he allows instinct to take over, “pulling the trigger and reloading” the killing is so great that it becomes like a routine.
3. Language/Diction
He questions himself a lot, wondering how he could have survived such impossible odds. He likens the conflict to a hell, with death and pain abound. He gives many of his own personal feelings and thoughts, about how he would treat his own death- if he died as “Another paratrooper reporting for duty sir, I’ve spent my time in hell”.
4. Personal Response
Conflict alone is scary enough. However, the adrenalin numbs the fear. Steve Carlsen is brave to choose to write such a poem after his conflict after all, it was on a “dare” that he wrote this poem. To look back into this conflict, Steve Carlsen realizes the full impact of the fighting. It was a “hell”. His many personal reflections on the conflict gives us how a man feels after fighting, killing and living through a conflict. I have to agree with his views.
I particularly liked his feeling that “hell was so close to god”. This just shows the entire conflicts meaning in 6 words. Hell, which was the fight that the man is going through, is so scary and terrifying. It could take his life in a gunshot, or he could take numerous with his own hand. God would be him dying, and leaving this battlefield for good.
Once again, he reiterates his point, with an enactment of what he would do when if he went to the gates of heaven. It is fine humour in the sense that he is sort of boasting of his time in “hell” to Saint Peter, “reporting for duty” in heaven. Almost as if there ought to be a place reserved for him in the fluffy kingdom of perfection we call heaven.
Acknowledgements
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo
http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo_Force
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_in_Afghanistan
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_zone
www.answers.com/topic/lock-and-load
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Resources/Glossary/Sixties_Term_Gloss_D_J.html
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Resources/Glossary/Sixties_Term_Gloss_D_J.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratrooper
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Busy, but happy
Just looking at my to-do list puts me off. SLC... schoolwork...and recently all those CSM events. Well, glad the CSM event is over.. But i still have to be the emcee for the medal presentation.
Just today, i had my principal's dialogue. This dialogue has been dogging me for quite some time now, always clashing with the CSM. First, it was high jump, which was at 2.30pm. However a meeting with Ms Loh has led me to overshoot the time. Heck, who need slunch anyways. BUT, its the combination of principal's dialogue, no lunch and the 12.03am last night that created such a blunder at the CSM. Oh well.. + a funeral wake to attend to, the chances of me making the magic during Nationals is very very unlikely.
Still, just today, the dialogue itself. I also had me longjump CSM. Ah.. that was delightful. I didn't even have any stepping. The last time i did long jump was 3 months ago. Still, i got 4th. Somehow, kicking away a stepping that irritates you + crazy wild feeling makes you jump wierdly. At least, if you walk 25 meters and jump...maybe run a bit, you can jump 5m too!
Still, i have a very uncooperative press team.
Ong Yuhao- MIA most of the time, no idea whats he doing
Web- OHMYGOD! WHAT ON EARTH ARE THESE FOOLS DOING? I asked for a webpage, not a page of the orbituary.. a black banner.... yucks
At least today i managed to finally get those two fools to meet me so I can show my DESIGN for the webpage. i have to say, its not bad.. it started out as a brainwave. It will become reality.
OHGOSH! TESTS!
Tommorrow i have an INFOCOMM STUDIES test, which is somehow open book.
The next day i have a SCIENCE TEST. and on Friday a MATH & HISTORY TEST.
busy much.
yes.
still, its nice to have so many extra things. Makes one feel appreciated. Afterall, in this "elite" school, you have to be chosen to do things, pure volunteerism only puts your name on the list.. doesn't mean you get the job.
Si vis pacem, para bellum.
Gotta note!
Just today, i had my principal's dialogue. This dialogue has been dogging me for quite some time now, always clashing with the CSM. First, it was high jump, which was at 2.30pm. However a meeting with Ms Loh has led me to overshoot the time. Heck, who need slunch anyways. BUT, its the combination of principal's dialogue, no lunch and the 12.03am last night that created such a blunder at the CSM. Oh well.. + a funeral wake to attend to, the chances of me making the magic during Nationals is very very unlikely.
Still, just today, the dialogue itself. I also had me longjump CSM. Ah.. that was delightful. I didn't even have any stepping. The last time i did long jump was 3 months ago. Still, i got 4th. Somehow, kicking away a stepping that irritates you + crazy wild feeling makes you jump wierdly. At least, if you walk 25 meters and jump...maybe run a bit, you can jump 5m too!
Still, i have a very uncooperative press team.
Ong Yuhao- MIA most of the time, no idea whats he doing
Web- OHMYGOD! WHAT ON EARTH ARE THESE FOOLS DOING? I asked for a webpage, not a page of the orbituary.. a black banner.... yucks
At least today i managed to finally get those two fools to meet me so I can show my DESIGN for the webpage. i have to say, its not bad.. it started out as a brainwave. It will become reality.
OHGOSH! TESTS!
Tommorrow i have an INFOCOMM STUDIES test, which is somehow open book.
The next day i have a SCIENCE TEST. and on Friday a MATH & HISTORY TEST.
busy much.
yes.
still, its nice to have so many extra things. Makes one feel appreciated. Afterall, in this "elite" school, you have to be chosen to do things, pure volunteerism only puts your name on the list.. doesn't mean you get the job.
Si vis pacem, para bellum.
Gotta note!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Combined Sports Meet: FUN!
12X200m was so much more fun than i expected.
I never knew our class was that fast.
1st runner: Denzyl
He really started the ball rolling, the lead was very big.
2nd runner: Jonathan Chuang
WOW~! HE WAS SO FAST!! The serious look he had on his face is so priceless.
.
.
.
.
12th runner: Sean Lim
When i passed the baton to him , he totally exploded with energy. Sadly, i could not see how we ended the race, but we knew that 2A1 won by a very very large margin. 100m? 80m? Either way, it is alot.
Well, 12x200m has become a to-do on my list of sports events. To run together with nearly half your class in a race is so unifying. Gotta try that next year.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Absence
Makes the heart grow fonder.
Another loss.
Another stab to the heart.
Another blow to the mind.
Another life, in eternal peace.
This would be twice this year. Just before Chinese New Year, my great-grandmother from my father's side passed away. Only then did i truly realise how fragile life was.
Kris Allen sings it best "gotta live like we're dying".
Yet, now.
There is another to add to the list. She has become a statistic. Still, she will remain in our memories. This post is a tribute to her. Most of you out there will probably ever see her in the obituaries page now. I am lucky.
Every person i have seen.
Every person i have entertained.
Ever person i have helped.
Becomes a memory etched into my mind.
She is no exception. I may not have shed a tear, but my soul has already flooded my mind with tears. The first death shook me. Now, she will etch it into me. Until now i have not seen her body. I hope it is soon that i finally lay my eyes on her for the final time.
Rest in peace my dear great-grandmother.
Now, i have none left.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
SMOPS
Ushering
Not as easy as it sounds. To put it simply, all we ushers had to do was to "usher" people. Yes, it would have been easy if there was only one person but there was... ... well, hundreds. Class by class, we shuffled them to their registration areas.
The sheer number of students was overwhelming. Looking back, it already makes me feel tired looking at the crowds that would choke up Oei Tiong Ham Hall. An hour of hustling, running, talking. I was never as tired. (except for the cross-country stuff, those really are killers)
All the buses arriving
Unloading of students
Asking of Group numbers
Guiding of Group
Towards the Registration areas
Dashing back to clock tower
Next bus
Repeat
Repeat
Repeat
Take a little break
Repeat
How.. exhausting.
Finally with the arrival of 9.00am did we ushers get to take a break. Off to LT3 we go...
Until, we realised that we were late. Apparently, we overshot the time. Giving out brochures to the teachers and a few last minute instructions from Daryl have cut into our break.
Big deal. We eat fast enough. Better to finish our job first.
Alas... ....
We get to relax a bit at Aphelion Room. One hour. Maybe a bit more.
Dismissal
Somehow, i managed to get re-assigned to the clock tower. Immediately, i scan for my alma mater's name and quickly get the responsibility of returning them back to their school. The teacher keeps shaking my hand. Long time no see.
Ah!
One school done.
8 more to go.
When to whole scenario ends, all ushers are sweating like a polar bear in a sauna. My shirt was never that wet. Except the time i played ...... at the ...... court. oops. shouldn't have said that. Warrants a demerit.
Dismissal- for us
Off to home. Good thing we aren't fully-fledged yet. Or ... we might have to stay even longer. I'm beat.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Glory is Forever
I am. Happy.
Firstly, i would want to begin by congratulating my awesome senior, Nicholas Yeo for showing us his best in the A'Division highjump. Despite a crushing injury, he has managed to maintain such a cheerful exterior. Gosh, sometimes, he is such an inspiration. Every jump that he took, my legs trembled for him to cross, literally. But now, his final jumps of his entire high jump career could only be described as fantastic. 1.8 meters.
After that, he went up with the Secondary One's and inspired so much morale from them. His speeches really shook. Still, he remained very humble. Such a rare trait. Such a great person.
Next. If i remembered clearly, there were rumours of Hwa Chong having trouble attaining for the 10th CONSECUTIVE time, the C'Division Title. Gosh, it was so scary. To think that you would lose before you even walk into the arena. But still, we proved everyone wrong. A big thank you to Mitch for attaining that javelin gold. It was so awesome watching you hurl that stick 41meters. Great job!
Finally, the track and field dinner... i have to say was quite a success. The fact that most of us, in fact i believe that all of us, managed to return with a full stomach, was pretty fulfilling. When i returned home, i never felt so tired. But, it was all worth it. C'Division and B'Division titles are both back in our hands. B'Division for 20 consecutive years, C'Division for 10 consecutive years. Great job everyone!
However, the newspaper totally understated it. Even last year, all Hwa Chong had was just a single line summarising the B and C division win. Perhaps, THEY SHOULD HAVE WROTE A BIT MORE! About what? Well, for a start they haven't even mentioned the fact that B'Division has held on to the title for 19 years and that this year was our 20th. Hey, its their job to write, they should at least write more.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
TIme to shine
Tomorrow is the 51st Track and Field Nationals finals. The finale is about to come. I can't wait.
Looking back, it has been exactly a year since the last finals. So much has changed. So much improvement. Yet so many set backs too.
Looking back. i see just how much i have changed. Just two years ago, HPPS IT and Media club member has suddenly been chosen to join HCI's track and field. Unbelievable. I never thought that i would do a sport. Yet, now it is so different. I just cannot imagine how it would have been if i didn't join track and field. Life would be so different, i would be so much less tanned.
Not very good.
Though sometimes i get really really irritated when Gary shows off his untanned exterior by calling me "coloured folk". How funny.
Even so, i earned that name. Toiling for hours under the insanely hot sun. The countless shin splints and luckily, i remain injury-free... touch wood touch wood. My fellow jumpers are so friendly. Its great to be in their company. Jumping together, running together, chatting together.
Sometimes, i think Singapore is too task-oriented. We all aim for points, results, medals... the goals are endless. But how many can actually achieve it? Everywhere i see, i see success. Mr Tan once said "why can't we have a cca just for fun?" It would be pointless, we need the accolades. But yet, he has a point. Why? Lets just blame the system for now.. or us chinese being too competitive. The thrill of competing is indescribable. Just walking up to the high jump mat already has my heart throbbing. Even thinking of it makes me feel excited. But, it is not the competition that is thrilling. Its the experience.
Can you believe it? During a competition, a NATIONAL competition, we laugh at each others names? WAH! Amazing ain't it. So relaxed. Perhaps. Its nice to make more friends. Especially across schools. The perspectives given are so varying.
I enjoy seeing both sides of the coin. It gives me a better view. Instead of 2D, i see it in 3. Also, it is easier to understand. Well, i hope we win the C'Division and B'Division title AGAIN. It has become a minimum. An expectation. In school, people use your title as "tracker" as reason for your ... success in sports. Yet, they fail to understand that "tracker" is but a label. We are still the same. Just that we are required to train on a scheduled basis. Viva la trackers.
Monday, March 1, 2010
MAYCOMB COUNTY: Diary Entry
c. Write a diary entry for a major character of the novel.
Character:
Mayella Ewell
Dear Diary,
Dad hit me agin'. Said t'was not acting right at court. Atticus. Mr Finch. That bastard was pounding me with questions. I couldn't take it anymore. Daddy would kill me if i told the truth. Killed me once i stepped into our home. Sometimes, when 'm workin', i wonder. Is Daddy actually human? Or some satanic bein' that the devil sent to hurt people and chillun'. I don't know.
Tom was such a nice man. He was the only man who ever showed any sign of care to me. He said he "pitied me". Damn right he was. I bet that if i was him, i wouldn't feel any differen'. I don't get why Daddy had to implicate him. Nobody saw it. Nobody knew it. Tom didn't have to suffer for it.
How could a kiss be so evil. Mr. Finch put it too well. I tempted a nigger. You couldn't blame me. Tom was so.. helpful. Better than Daddy. All he'd do was come home drunk and start using us as punchin' bags. When i was younger, i hoped that some prince charmin' would come and haul me outta this hell. Tom brought some salvation. Nobody ever dared to speak to me. Tom did. If he knew what it would cost him, he would have never.
If i knew what it would cost him, i would have just ignored him. Why didn't i. Sometimes, when Daddy made me ran errands to town, i would envy all those chillun' who had friends to talk to. I didn't have a childhood. Not one of my brothers nor sisters had one.
Daddy is pushin' it. One day, i swear. When it's time, i shall deal some payback. When Daddy's older, i'll run away. To yonder. The world's so big. I'll run. I'll sprint. I'll jump. I don't care. I killed a man. If i had spoken out. If...i had the courage to not be a stinkin' coward. Tom would've never been labelled a guilty man. Daddy never told me what happened to him. He just disappeared. Just last night, when i stepped out for some fresh air, i saw Tom's wife.
Crying. Sobbing. Wallowing in her own tears. All i could do was sit on that half-rotten log and watch. I feel so guilty.
Save me,
Mayella Ewell
Sunday, February 28, 2010
MAYCOMB COUNTY: Is Maycomb a good place to live in?
a. You have conducted an interview with one of the characters in TKAM. Write out the interview transcript, taking note to demonstrate the essence of the character and his/her point of view.
The Character:
Dill
The Interview:
Is Maycomb a good place to live in?
My Aunt says Maycomb is great. I find that Maycomb is jolly fine. Scout, Jem, Cal and all. Maycomb is interesting too. With Boo and everything. Though i find Meridian better. But i find... um... the prejudice against the negros.
Too hardcore for my taste. But other than that. I like it. Alot. Why'd you think that i spend every summer here?
You find the Justice System prejudiced?
Yea. My Dad, who is a very righteous man, told me never to treat negros differently. He told me there were the same as us. Humans. He called it "racial discrimination". I find it sick. Sick sick sick sick sick. Like Boo stabbing people with scissors. Maycomb people hurt the negros. Its just not fair.
Do you think the people in Maycomb are friendly?
Friendly? Not as friendly as those in Meridian, but people in Maycomb... hmm.... friendly enough. Though there have been a few exceptions. Mr. Ewell is one of those black sheep. If i remember clearly, he was the one who tried to hurt Scout and Jem. Mr. Radley too. Nearly shot Jem. Um.. Mrs Dubose was never friendly to anybody, though i couldn't see any reason why. But there are more friendly people than unfriendly.
What are your views about the recent Tom Robinson trial?
It is not fair. Mr. Finch convinced the whole court that Tom was innocent. Yet, all those bad white men proclaimed him guilty. There was no medical evidence. There was no way Tom could have done such a thing. He was an honest man! Mr. Finch tried so hard. Yet, just because he was a negro, Tom had become ... guilty...
If this is justice, that how can i walk the streets knowing that i am safe from all those bad men?
Do you think Mr. Finch made the right choice when he chose to represent Tom?
Yes! Definitely a YES! His choice has motivated me to become a lawyer like him. I want to bring justice to all those negros out there who have been unfairly treated by the system. I don't see why white men don't like negros. Aren't they both men? Mr. Finch is inspiring. His choice to represent Tom has shown to me that there are still good people in this world.
Do you find any change in Maycomb after the court case?
No. None. Tom was forgotten. Like ashes scattered into the wind. He was forgotten.
So, Maycomb is not a good place to live in?
I find that Maycomb is a good place to live in. Only if you shut yourself up at home all day long, enjoying your life for what it is. The reality is just too ugly. However, if you are able to be righteous and have to courage to right wrongs, Maycomb would be a fantastic place to live in. In fact, the world would become your playing field. Wherever you go, you would be respected. Maycomb. It is a good place to experience things. With such diversity, you can learn alot from the "Maycombians".
Personality Test? More like a Mr Spelmer again.
The personality test.
It has changed. I can't believe it. When Mr Spelmer told us to do that test, i could swear that the results were less linguistic and more kinesthetic. To be absolutely frank, i don't see how a personality test will affect how we learn. From what i have observed, it is the system, the environment and the teacher whom will affect how we learn. To tailor the teaching style to each and every student is impossible.
However, some teachers have done it.
The next few blog posts will be "tailored" to my learning style.
Enjoy.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Jump Jump Jump Jump. Plop
WOW. All comers was so much better than last year. I didn't fail the first height! The stadium seemed so empty.Not many people.
First event- Long Jump
These SAA people should at least measure properly. The stepping that i used was screwed. 1 meter away from the board. How horrible! I could have jumped so much further!
First jump. 1 meter from board. Coach was like "!!!!!!! You are 1 meter from, the board!!!!" Then told me to move back 1.1m so that i can jump closer.
Second jump. Still quite far. Grrr. Was told to move forward 40cm. I was quite surprised. though 40cm away, can still jump 4.9m +
Third and final jump. Moved up. Coach told me. JUST GO! Overboard. Though by a bit, it was still counted as a fault. GRRRRRRR. Horrible rule.
Overall, quite a fruitful experience. But with a price. Strength sapped by a bit. But i still have another event looming.
Second event- High jump
My arch nemesis. The last time i came, i was recorded as:
Hum Qing Ze.
Jump: NIL
I didn't cross the first height.
But now. The tables have turned. With a new heart, i took the jump.
1.4m. (practice height). Crossed it twice. Already over the moon.
1.4m (competition start). Crossed it in one try. It was an improvement already.
1.45m Crossed it in one try. Amazed.
1.5m Crossed it in one try. Shivering with happiness
1.55m All three tries failed. probably because it was a above my personal best.
// Note to self, gotta overcome 1.55m//
Well, it was a great experience!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Let us All-Come
ALL COMERS TOMORROW! Until now, i still have now idea why on Earth it is called an all-comers. The number of people that attend are dwindling. The last time i came, i screwed up. Hey, i was just Secondary 1! No weights, no training, no experience.
Long Jump or High? Or both? If i do long jump, i'll be jumping in Mun Kit's name. Not that i mind, but i am sure Coach has a reason for not signing me up earlier. OH NO! He can tell the future! I'd better ask him for a few 4D numbers. I betcha i'll become a millionaire in a week! Arrgh. Such a tough choice. Or is it? I'll just try, so i won't have to stand at the sidelines and watch my friends get owned by the JC people. All-comers eh? Everyone come and compete? Hmm...
Wish me Luck!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
There goes the first week,
ONE WEEK.
gone.
Thats fast. The days go by so quick. Is that supposed to be good or bad? Sighs. I never knew Secondary 2 life was going to be THAT difficult. I thought it would just be a eetsy bitsy change to the usual Secondary life that i have been experiencing. Big mistake.
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