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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.