Friday 29 May 2009

A Memorable Quote is One that is So Annoying it Plays Tag with Your Head

Yesterday was friggin' awesome.

Nothing much really happened but you should see the faces of the people on the 105 that the 105 I was on passed by!

It was overall a pretty normal day. Got to school, did horrible '公函', officially screwed it up (like I do all tests/assignments of mine), waited for many 105s to pass before I got onto one.

Yup, it was pretty much a very normal day.

Unless you count 3 105s arriving within 5 minutes.

Now THAT is NOT normal.

105 doesn't even come for half an hour sometimes!

Hm, yeah, so, I was sitting and waiting for 105. Actually, I wasn't only waiting for the bus to arrive. I was waiting for it to arrive AND leave. That would mean that the next one would come soon and would, hopefully, be more empty.

The first 105 that came was moderately empty and I regretted not getting on that one. It took about...25-30 minutes before the next 105 came. That bus was packed full. I didn't dare move from my seat. About only half the people who rushed toward the bus with intentions to board it actually boarded it. The rest just moped about dejectedly.

The next 105 came really soon. They all rushed up. I'd say the bus wasn't too full, but it wasn't empty either. Quite a number of the people who boarded were left standing.

I sat back to wait a little longer.

To my surprise (and delight), the following 105 came almost after the previous 105 left. I was so shocked I barely had any time to pick up my stuff. I flagged the bus down and was perfectly happy when no one else moved to board this bus.

It was the new one. The one with the LED screen.

I got a seat right at the back to the right (I simply love that place though I don't know why). I took out a few of my drawing papers out of my file and started doodling some random characters (that I have officially made mine). There wasn't really anybody to pick up at the bus stops so the bus ride was really smooth.

As the bus moved on, we passed by the previous 105. I caught sight of an Indian RGS student who gaped open mouthed when she saw the bus pass. I couldn't help but let out a silent laughter which I covered with my hand. It was hilarious! The look on their (I'm assuming that not only one person was 'horrified') faces was absolutely hilarious!

The bus ride was great, for the most part.

Today was great too. I woke up at 11:15. I had a weird dream and I don't want to talk about it. I kind of remember it, and I have a feeling that in the dream, I was a bit too domestic for my tastes...yuck.

Saturday 23 May 2009

15 Fangs on a Baby

Open House wasn't that bad.

I was supposed to lead some random people around the Art Club booth (if you can call it a booth) but I slacked off for the first 15 minutes of my shift doing something naughty.

...

No, I did not do it. I simply skivved off duty by attempting to make a 'shinking plastic keychain' which I later gave to Zann.

Yeah, so I was just wandering round the booth and getting myself used to the artworks. I followed Kimberly around as she introduced the artworks to parents and potential juniors and grasped a rough concept of how to explain the artworks and what the artworks are about and their medium. Of course, most of it was pretty easy.

So I just stood at one of the 'entrances' to the booth and then Tessa came along. After a while an Indian man came with his daughter (who was about 5 and wearing pink...). Tessa asked him if he would like a guided tour and he said yes.

It took a while before I went up to him and told him about the artworks. He was a great audience. He commented that he liked art a lot but said he had to beg his teacher for a passing grade in art. I told him art is all about the perspective. He just laughed and we then went on to the next exhibit.

When the tour ended I told him about the 'shrinking plastic keychain' and some 3-D paperwork and said that he could bring his daughter to try out some of the stuff there. He said thank you and I felt really, really pleased with myself.

Then came a Chinese man in a white shirt and pale khaki shorts. He had glasses and I think his hair was flat on his head. Anyway, we (Tessa and I) asked him if he wanted a guided tour and he said no. He was just waiting for the Guides' guided tour (lol) his daughter was taking part in.

So we just explained the first board or two of artworks.

It felt great to actually be able to impart my 'wisdom' to someone else.

On my way out of school (to bus stop gate) I met a woman and her daughter and the woman asked me if I knew where the Deborah Tan library was. I said I could guide her. She asked if I was a Sec 1, I said no, I'm a Sec 2. Then she asked if I liked RGS (or something). I said yes, the seniors are all very friendly. We discussed something about seniors (something about me being a senior too...) and then I 'dropped' her off at the foot of the stairs that lead to the library.

It was a pleasant talk and I was glad to have helped someone. Perhaps she'd call in to say RGS girls are very helpful and friendly?

I made my way back to the bus stop gate in time to see 105 pull in. My goodness was I lucky. I got up the bus (which was so awesomely empty) and got a seat at the (extreme) back of the bus. Maybe God was being nice to me because I was nice to other people. XD

Wednesday 20 May 2009

Slimey Cake

YES!!!

4.0 for BIOLOGY!

WOOHOO!

Hey! That means I've got a chance to take advanced Biology next year! Now if only I can get through and interview and obtain some random Bio teacher's recommendation...that's gonna be hard...

Anyway, so now I've got 3.6 for Physics (of all things...), 4.0 for Chemistry and 4.0 for Biology.

Isn't that great?

I only need another 2 things for my day to be perfect. 1. Pass all exams. 2. MUST. PASS. CHINESE. (this technically falls under the broad category of 'all exams', but still)

Now, adjourn with me into my trusty time machine and off to 15 May '09...

------------------------time machine groaning------------------------

Ah, now, where was I?

Oh yes, it is 15 May '09 and I am on the school bus on my way to school. Now, I am complaining to myself (yes, useless, I know) that it I am caught in a most untimely situation. I have anemia. Well, that should be over in a couple of days but that's not the issue here. The thing is, I have my 2.4km run that very day too.

So you can imagine me sitting in my seat, one elbow on the window sill with my head resting on the back of my hand (the one with the elbow on the window sill). Being the outrageously religious person I am, I believe that I have done something wrong (or would do something wrong) and that God is pissed so he punished me that way.

All the way to school (and through school) I am getting myself moping about the situation. This is what young punks would like to call 'emo-ing'. Yes, so I am emo-ing and voicing my displeasure to my friends who I'd like to thank for listening to this batty person yattering away selfishly.

Extreme reluctance follows as I sit in dread at the prospect of the upcoming physically taxing (and not to mention utterly horrible) test. The muscles on my arm begin to tense and I am feeling as if I have been doing pull-ups for the past...oh, 10 minutes straight, perhaps. Minus the pain. It feels sour and seriously contracted.

So there, I am running scenarios with myself in a variety of possible situations (take for example, me being dragged off the track due to my excessively huge width blocking a whole width of the track [that didn't happen, just sarcasm]) and the teacher calls everybody to gather around. I sit through a brief briefing (yes, doesn't it sound cool?) and then wait again for the test.

Then I feel something fall on my arm. Then another. Then another. More pelting occurs and we are told to sit under the shelter of the walkway. Then it starts raining in light sprinkles, just heavy enough to render the 2.4km run unrunnable.

The rain doesn't stop falling for a long time. We are then told to go to the canteen to sit it out. More waiting ensues. It is announced that 2.4km run will be postponed to Tuesday.

The only thing that is running through my mind is 'Thank God'.

------------------------time machine groaning------------------------

God works wonders. Maybe he just made rain fall because he wants to show me he knows what he's doing, that he can turn any situation around. I was being an idiot. I thought that God was against me because I was anemic on that day and I didn't consider what the weather might do to the possibility of the run.

God is just awesome the way he is, no?

Then there is the Biology test. After it I was so sure I had missed 4.0 by a bit. I was so sure. I finished the paper a little too early.

Alright. I'm lying. I finished it much earlier than the intended time. I finished it with 45min to spare, that or 1 hour. When the paper was discussed with other people and they inputted their views I figured I simply screwed up the whole thing.

Over the next few days (all the way until today, before the test results were revealed) I kept brooding about Biology. I then figured that I really wanted to do Bio RA if not simply attain Biology as one of the subjects in my subject combo. I figured I really like Bio and don't want to give up on it. Every time I think that I may not get 4.0 for Bio (really high expectations, yes, I know) and thus be unable to get into Bio RA I get really depressed and my heart has that sinking feeling like I've just suffered a huge blow.

I really like Bio.

------------------------time machine groaning------------------------

When they went through all the answers the feeling that I haven't done well started growing. I start to doubt myself so much because I had spotted so many differences between the model answers and what I wrote. I feel like I had simply screwed up the test.

Then I got the results back.

'50' is the first thing that registers. I have yet processed that I've gotten a 4.0. My math is bad. I'd only gotten a 25/40.

'Well Done!' is next. I started doing mental math.

'I GOT 4.0!' is the final thought that races through my mind before it goes on a complete shut down. I have acheived my goal. You can't say that after all the stress from before I don't deserve the right to completely ignore my surroundings for a bit and enjoy the bliss of it all.

I. Am. So. Freaking. Happy.

I can't really explain how it feels (I'll never be an author...) but it is simply awesome. It feels like I have perched Mount Everest and am the first to do so. There is a sense of relief (as if you're glad you survived the climb) and extreme joy.

One thing that will register in your mind after few seconds of numbness is:

'Praise God. Praise be to him on high.'

------------------------time machine groaning------------------------

You must have noticed the common factor between those two stories, 'God'.

Then there's another story. One about Philosophy and how it just seems to challenge my religion.

------------------------time machine groaning------------------------

I am being given an article about Euthanasia and arguements about legalizing this drug. I stare at it and the first thing I think of is 'No, they should not legalize it. It is simply not right to kill yourself.' Then I rest my case because I am not sure whether I want to think about the non-Christian side to the issue.

I am then forced to sit through a discussion that would start me on processing ideas against my religion and challenging my beliefs. I do not allow any of the strange and unholy thoughts to penetrate past the line of 'listening' and into 'acceptance'. I pay attention to the discussion but find nothing to say. I do not think that my religious views will be very readily accepted in the discussion.

I am upright and I will not allow any of those ideas to influence my religious beliefs so I am unable to perform my 'Philosophical evaluation' of the situation well. I am deeply regretful that I am unable to do so but further discussion digressing into issues of unholy nature will only cause me to tune out to the entire discussion.

Throughout the discussion I only give my input a few times, and only when clarification is needed. There is an exception but I do not remember (Sophia recorded that there is but I cannot recall any). I refrain from saying anything. The whole discussion makes me dizzy and sleepy. Nothing really gets comprehended in my mind. I think it is some sort of a defense mechanism when something against my religion is being discussed.

I do not find the need to discus the issue because I know my stand and I will not allow any space for the 'acceptance of others' ideas'. I do not care whether it is going to dictate my failure to be promoted from Sec2 to Sec3 but I will not, I repeat, will NOT stay to let any ideas cloud my vision of my Father in heaven.

If they do not want any religious ideas in the discussion then I have nothing to say. Human rights (as defined by the world) states that an individual is allowed to do whatsoever he or she wishes to do to himself or herself. So saying, there is nothing except for my religion that makes me go against legalizing Euthanasia. It is as if anyone who wants to control their lives is playing God. I don't like that. I do not want to consider that.

I think the Philosophy curriculum of RGS should be more accumulating and considerate to the different kinds of pupils in the school. It is utterly unfair if I am forced to be detained for a year (or the consequent ones too if Sec2 Philosophy continues as it is) due to my religious beliefs. If they want to consider something absolutely unrelated to the ways of my religion then by all means go ahead.

Actually, I think RGS shouldn't have Philosophy at all. It simply ruins our lives.

------------------------time machine groaning------------------------

See? People might think I'm delusional, that I should get my head out of all that 'God' business, but I won't. I stand firm by what I think and what I am influenced to think through my religious beliefs. I will not conform to the ways of the school just to attain certain academic qualifications. None of this Earthly qualifications will be of any value in heaven. I wish to concentrate on God.

If need be I may complain to the school board and request to change the topic of Philosophy discussions as it is interfering with my (and others like me) beliefs.

I am human, so shouldn't I have the right to decide whether or not I wish to take part in such discussions? Philosophy is all about thinking. If I do think well and am able to view ideas from other point of views but simply do not wish to accept arguements going against my religion and belief, will I not be allowed to be promoted if I do not fulfill the criteria of what is expected of Sec2 Philosophy course?

I think this part of the Philosophy course is challenging the wrong thing.

It challenges my religion instead of my ability to think. This may not affect students who are not of the same mental processes as I and are thus less likely to be affected by religious beliefs but I will not be swayed by the requirements of society.

I will only do what is right and pleasing to God (if it is within my control) and I will ask for forgiveness, beg, actually, if I do displease him because upsetting God is worse than upsetting the whole of humanity.

God is probably the only being that is a constant in everyone's life. His role never changes. It just depends on whether you want to believe he is there or not.

Thursday 7 May 2009

Shattered Glass Bead

NAPFA. PFT. Whatever.

I just survived it with 4As and 1B. Which is really good but I feel all bad and cranky inside because I was just 3cm away from A for Standing Board Jump. You know how bad that feels? 3cm from your goal? Damn was I pissed. I got 178cm last year! I just felt either Cs or As would look nicer because it'd be more uniform on my report card, yes? I mean, hello, 2.4km is impossible for me to get a B so I'd just stay satisfied with a C, so it would be nice if my SBJ got a C too to match. =D

Anyway, I'm most satisfied with my shuttle run results.

Inclined Pull-Ups
18
A

Shuttle Run
10.7sec
A

Sit-Ups
36
A

Standing Board Jump
175
B

Sit and Reach
45
A

Nice, eh?

Damn, and even though Rachel got lower scores than me for all except IPU and Sit and Reach she ended up with 5As! Not fair! Why was I born in February? Or rather, why is NAPFA mid-year and not start of year?

...

Lol, I'm talking as if the world revolves around me...

Sunday 3 May 2009

www.greenman.com

You know, I just realized I dated my test papers on Friday 30 Apr '09. It was 1 May '09. I'm so screwed.

(Sorry. Just realised the exams were on Thursday and not Friday. It was, indeed, 30 Apr '09. Friday's Labour Day...)

And another screwed thing is that I forgot (and this is really silly) to circle the genre for English Narrative Writing thingum. Dead, right?

Yesterday I was pondering over quadratic equations and I came up with theories that can help me find the x-intercept and the line of symmetry, something two things I've always struggled with. Now that I can find them without the graph (and trust me, now I don't need the graph to find almost ANYTHING [I still can't do minimum and maximum value, but I'm gonna find out) I feel a little more confident, but due to my acute lack of memory space I fear I may forget everything...oops.

Ooh. I found how to find the maximum/minimum value already. I feel so awesome! That aside, I am currently accumulating House episodes via a deal I made with my father. For every 5/6 pages of Chinese text (中华文化之族) I read, I get 2 House episodes. How awesome is that? Even if I run out of 中华文化之族 text I still have 少年文摘 which is given monthly so I needn't worry about having lesser episodes. Cool, huh?

I need to revise Geog. Really, I can't stand why we need to learn stupid impacts and the likes. I'd have much preferred if the whole paper was about the formation and all Science-y stuff. I can't stand human Geog. Anywhere humans appear on the page I'm gonna fling my head into the wall.
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Anybody wants the theories? If you do, grovel at my feet and I shall bestow this great knowledge unto you!

Kidding. But seriously, anyone wants these theories? I've tested all of them with Graphmatica. They've worked so far. It's kind of a great accomplishment for someone who failed Math last term like me...