Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
MOVED
http://modified-persona.tumblr.com/
Its better, wordier, more awesome, and the blogger is back in business after a long hiatus. Keep on reading and tagging yea? The tagboard's still available for comments on the new site! :)
I have moved guys! See you at the new siteeee!!! :)
Its better, wordier, more awesome, and the blogger is back in business after a long hiatus. Keep on reading and tagging yea? The tagboard's still available for comments on the new site! :)
I have moved guys! See you at the new siteeee!!! :)
Sunday, September 27, 2009
F1
Lewis Hamilton should just go take a break. We need somebody new in the F1 Scene, so...
Nico Rosberg for the win! GO TEAM WILLIAMS!
Nico Rosberg for the win! GO TEAM WILLIAMS!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Happy Hari Raya!
Before I begin, here's a belated HAPPY HARI RAYA to all muslims worldwide! =D
Will update on the latest happenings so far really soon yea?
With regards to the week, it has been great, yet all the fun and laughter is coming to an end.
Mundane life begins again on Thursday, and no I am not looking forward to office :(
Will update on the latest happenings so far really soon yea?
With regards to the week, it has been great, yet all the fun and laughter is coming to an end.
Mundane life begins again on Thursday, and no I am not looking forward to office :(
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Mistake
Sometimes its not good to give too much. I've been always putting others before myself, and now I realized how much this has been screwing my life up. People just expect more and more. They dont care about you, no? All they care about is their own happiness.
And when you start to spare some time for yourself doing things you like for a little change, they make noise and throw all kinds of accusations at you, behind your back.
Spending time with yourself, pampering yourself, thats a basis of human rights. By not awarding me this, you're basically treating me no different than an animal, maybe worse.
God made us all with logical thinking, yet unfortunately, I don't see much of that in the human breed today.
Let's not talk about IQ for now, you don't even have much EQ to begin with
And when you start to spare some time for yourself doing things you like for a little change, they make noise and throw all kinds of accusations at you, behind your back.
Spending time with yourself, pampering yourself, thats a basis of human rights. By not awarding me this, you're basically treating me no different than an animal, maybe worse.
God made us all with logical thinking, yet unfortunately, I don't see much of that in the human breed today.
Let's not talk about IQ for now, you don't even have much EQ to begin with
The Problem With Celebrities
And this is exactly the problem with celebrities. Just when they're at the peak of their careers, they forget about their humble beginnings and proceed to do stupid stuff to prove their worth. I won't call that proving one's worth, I call that sheer stupidity
Kanye, how could you be so heartless?
Well, at least Beyonce's still sane. It was really sweet of her to give her moment to Taylor Swift to right the wrong Kanye made.
Is it any wonder still why we all love Beyonce? :)
Kanye, how could you be so heartless?
Well, at least Beyonce's still sane. It was really sweet of her to give her moment to Taylor Swift to right the wrong Kanye made.
Is it any wonder still why we all love Beyonce? :)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Memories of UDI
Memories of yesterday still lingers
That feeling of numb still running through my fingers
Exhausted faces, tired souls, all vivid reminiscence
It's ended, it's gone, now all I hear is total silence
Remember the days with the adrenaline pumping action
With marches and drills all conducted as a section?
Where mistakes were unaccepted, unforgiven not
They had better show standard, or half rights they got
Tests of endurance began with no one to spare
Their ends in sight, that prestigious lanyard to wear
Four gruelling days they withstood, all in the name of perseverance
For the sake of their schools, they nodded in adherence
With the surfacing end, they achieved their goals
They now hold stronger, more defined roles
Matured individuals they are, with discipline uptight
All ready to guide their units towards an ascending flight
Leaders of Apache, Bronco, Cougar and Dragon
Give it your all and see yourself a soaring Falcon
The end of this course marks a new beginning
Towards an excellent unit, of spirits unfaltering
Monday, September 7, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
In Conjunction With Teachers Day
We all have had our own fair share of encounters with teachers at one point or another. They have been there for many decades, educating the future leaders of tomorrow, and they will remain doing that for many years to come. I remember myself as a student back then, and I am sure all of us have questioned the existence of a teacher at one point or another.
What not, we all never had good impressions of teachers back then. Teachers, to us, led easy lives, for in our viewpoint all they did was teach, give us homework and torture us for us to perform at the final year examinations. Teachers were a symbol of misery, as they pushed us and stressed us unnecessarily. However, while there may be some truth to that, we often do not realize how myopic such a viewpoint is.
Coming from someone who had experienced teaching this year, both as a relief teacher and an Assistant Field Instructor, I now fully understand the hustle and tussles of the life of a teacher. It definitely is no easy feat, with teaching comprising only a very small portion of what a teacher does. Whoever knew that teachers had to handle so many other stuff with ongoing meetings, countless administration affairs, marking, the setting of exam papers, just for us to progress and develop our characters to become better individuals? They sacrifice so much for us and though it seems as if they are idling around, they are actually back stage workers who work to help us all survive through the year. They do things in private, and they never announce out loud the many things they do for us. Being humble is one of the virtues of a great teacher.
Truthfully, being a teacher is not an easy one, and contrary to what some might say, it takes more than just any random Tom, Dick or Harry to become one. The roles of the teacher have already shifted off its original course, and teachers nowadays have to do more in order to be seen as outstanding. They aren’t employed to teach, they are employed to teach and perform to ensure their deliveries are interesting enough for the attention span of the students to be sustained. They need to have that special connection with their students in order to reach out to them and make them learn optimally in terms of academics and moral values so as to become good contributors of society in the future. They also need to have good communication skills, be empathetic and understand their students emotions and feelings, know their stuff well and more importantly, be caring and patient in order to succeed for the world of teaching is one full of impending obstacles. These obstacles are there, you just don’t know when they’ll hit you.
However, despite all the hardship a teacher goes through, I am proud to say that neither of these factors will stop me from becoming one. I’ve had many different responses whenever I say that I would like to be a teacher. Some were really encouraging, telling me to pursue this as a career as it suited me and that it was a very noble and respectable job. Many others though, thought I was crazy to even think of going down that route for the hardship and stress I would be going through. To them, being a teacher is not satisfying enough as the pay is not equivalent to the stress teachers go through. Dealing with problematic students also form part of the reason why the idea of being a teacher turns them off immediately. These people have bold dreams and would rather aspire to become world class businessmen or engineers who earn tens of thousands rather than go down the conventional route to become a teacher.
Having said all that, my passion still lies in the path of a teacher. I realized that I absolutely love being in the company of teachers and students as there are really a lot that we can learn just by being with them. More than anything else, it gives me great satisfaction when I see my students and cadets grow and progress from who they originally were. I’ve had my fair share of encounters with students, and many times have I felt this great sense of achievement within myself when my students and I simply connect . When my students grasp all that I have taught and show improvement in their exams, it makes me happy. When I tackle students with disciplinary issues and they finally go up to me one day to tell me I have impacted their lives, the satisfaction attained is overwhelming. Seriously, there’s nothing better like enriching the lives of the young and knowing you were part of that process. These lives you impacted will remember you all the way, and I dare say ten years down the road, should you meet any of them, they will still remember you clearly and tell you how thankful they are to you for all that you have done for them. The respect you earn from these people, the special bond you create with them, all these lasts a lifetime and that’s something money cannot buy.
Not even the tens and thousands you earn from being a world class businessman or an engineer
So to all those out there who are teachers, be it whether you're a piano teacher, religious class teacher, school teacher, tuition teacher or any form of teacher, thank you for all you have done. This day is specially for you and you truly deserve it.
HAVE A HAPPY TEACHERS DAY! =D
What not, we all never had good impressions of teachers back then. Teachers, to us, led easy lives, for in our viewpoint all they did was teach, give us homework and torture us for us to perform at the final year examinations. Teachers were a symbol of misery, as they pushed us and stressed us unnecessarily. However, while there may be some truth to that, we often do not realize how myopic such a viewpoint is.
Coming from someone who had experienced teaching this year, both as a relief teacher and an Assistant Field Instructor, I now fully understand the hustle and tussles of the life of a teacher. It definitely is no easy feat, with teaching comprising only a very small portion of what a teacher does. Whoever knew that teachers had to handle so many other stuff with ongoing meetings, countless administration affairs, marking, the setting of exam papers, just for us to progress and develop our characters to become better individuals? They sacrifice so much for us and though it seems as if they are idling around, they are actually back stage workers who work to help us all survive through the year. They do things in private, and they never announce out loud the many things they do for us. Being humble is one of the virtues of a great teacher.
Truthfully, being a teacher is not an easy one, and contrary to what some might say, it takes more than just any random Tom, Dick or Harry to become one. The roles of the teacher have already shifted off its original course, and teachers nowadays have to do more in order to be seen as outstanding. They aren’t employed to teach, they are employed to teach and perform to ensure their deliveries are interesting enough for the attention span of the students to be sustained. They need to have that special connection with their students in order to reach out to them and make them learn optimally in terms of academics and moral values so as to become good contributors of society in the future. They also need to have good communication skills, be empathetic and understand their students emotions and feelings, know their stuff well and more importantly, be caring and patient in order to succeed for the world of teaching is one full of impending obstacles. These obstacles are there, you just don’t know when they’ll hit you.
However, despite all the hardship a teacher goes through, I am proud to say that neither of these factors will stop me from becoming one. I’ve had many different responses whenever I say that I would like to be a teacher. Some were really encouraging, telling me to pursue this as a career as it suited me and that it was a very noble and respectable job. Many others though, thought I was crazy to even think of going down that route for the hardship and stress I would be going through. To them, being a teacher is not satisfying enough as the pay is not equivalent to the stress teachers go through. Dealing with problematic students also form part of the reason why the idea of being a teacher turns them off immediately. These people have bold dreams and would rather aspire to become world class businessmen or engineers who earn tens of thousands rather than go down the conventional route to become a teacher.
Having said all that, my passion still lies in the path of a teacher. I realized that I absolutely love being in the company of teachers and students as there are really a lot that we can learn just by being with them. More than anything else, it gives me great satisfaction when I see my students and cadets grow and progress from who they originally were. I’ve had my fair share of encounters with students, and many times have I felt this great sense of achievement within myself when my students and I simply connect . When my students grasp all that I have taught and show improvement in their exams, it makes me happy. When I tackle students with disciplinary issues and they finally go up to me one day to tell me I have impacted their lives, the satisfaction attained is overwhelming. Seriously, there’s nothing better like enriching the lives of the young and knowing you were part of that process. These lives you impacted will remember you all the way, and I dare say ten years down the road, should you meet any of them, they will still remember you clearly and tell you how thankful they are to you for all that you have done for them. The respect you earn from these people, the special bond you create with them, all these lasts a lifetime and that’s something money cannot buy.
Not even the tens and thousands you earn from being a world class businessman or an engineer
So to all those out there who are teachers, be it whether you're a piano teacher, religious class teacher, school teacher, tuition teacher or any form of teacher, thank you for all you have done. This day is specially for you and you truly deserve it.
HAVE A HAPPY TEACHERS DAY! =D
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Back from IPPT, and looks like I survived with a pass :)
I actually managed to do 8 pull ups this time round! HURRAY!
The run went horrible and I flunked it, but at least the time was a passable time, so not to worry. The fact I finished it while fasting early in the morning in itself is already left me very satisfied with myself.
Now's the enduring part.. Thirsty, thirsty, I need water and I can only get what I want in 8 hours and 7 minutes.
I actually managed to do 8 pull ups this time round! HURRAY!
The run went horrible and I flunked it, but at least the time was a passable time, so not to worry. The fact I finished it while fasting early in the morning in itself is already left me very satisfied with myself.
Now's the enduring part.. Thirsty, thirsty, I need water and I can only get what I want in 8 hours and 7 minutes.
The Second Challenge
Survived the first round of torment with a really bad skin peel which left me looking as if I attempted skin bleaching....
Now it's part two with IPPT on a fasting day. Imagine having to run 2.4 kilometers with no water at all before and after. It will be tough, but lets see if I survive this one :)
Now it's part two with IPPT on a fasting day. Imagine having to run 2.4 kilometers with no water at all before and after. It will be tough, but lets see if I survive this one :)
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The First Challenge
No no no, this is definitely NOT the point of drinking so much water in the morning.
Drank a total of 8 glasses in the last 6 hours but I peed like 4 glasses out... You're supposed to stay inside my body to keep me hydrated, not discharge and leave me waterless! Our body works in essentric ways no?
I'm faced with my very first challenge of Ramadhan, and that's to undergo Adventure Training Camp and Level 1 Kayaking Course whilst I'm fasting itself. We all know how dehydrating such activities are, especially kayaking, hence to be able to withstand it for a day without food and drink would be such an achievement
Not to mention, a good plan for a weight loss routine :)
Wish me luck guys!
Drank a total of 8 glasses in the last 6 hours but I peed like 4 glasses out... You're supposed to stay inside my body to keep me hydrated, not discharge and leave me waterless! Our body works in essentric ways no?
I'm faced with my very first challenge of Ramadhan, and that's to undergo Adventure Training Camp and Level 1 Kayaking Course whilst I'm fasting itself. We all know how dehydrating such activities are, especially kayaking, hence to be able to withstand it for a day without food and drink would be such an achievement
Not to mention, a good plan for a weight loss routine :)
Wish me luck guys!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The "full" effect
You know, drinking water as you eat really helps fill your stomach so much faster to give you the "full" effect although you're not really there yet.
Hence, for those of you on a slimming regime, why don't you try this? I just realized this. Today I practically ate so many things and I still feel quite hungry, and I suspect the reason for this was cause I did not drink any water together with my food like I usually do.
There, you learnt something new!
The shocking loss
I was just laughing at my brother last week when Liverpool lost and suddenly, this week, karma strikes back at me and Man United loses...
Seriously, how could they have lost to Burnley?
Well, perhaps Burnley could be a little too hot for them to handle at the starting stages, get it, Burnley? Ok lame.
My take on this would be the fact that Van Der Saar, Vidic and Evans were injured and these are part of the key players of Manchester United. When they come back, Manchester United will be in full force, and nothing can stop them from winning the title, just you see.
If you take note of Man U's patterns of playing, that usually is the case for them. Starting off on a not so good note, and slowly working their way to the top much to the amazement of the other teams. I can still remember Man U being 7 points behind Liverpool last season and I felt it was the end, but suddenly things happened and Man U triumphed over Liverpool and the rest in the end to claim the title.
We all have our bad weeks, maybe this week is just man u's bad week.
Don't worry, we'll come back.
And I'll gleefully await the day your team has its bad week :)
Seriously, how could they have lost to Burnley?
Well, perhaps Burnley could be a little too hot for them to handle at the starting stages, get it, Burnley? Ok lame.
My take on this would be the fact that Van Der Saar, Vidic and Evans were injured and these are part of the key players of Manchester United. When they come back, Manchester United will be in full force, and nothing can stop them from winning the title, just you see.
If you take note of Man U's patterns of playing, that usually is the case for them. Starting off on a not so good note, and slowly working their way to the top much to the amazement of the other teams. I can still remember Man U being 7 points behind Liverpool last season and I felt it was the end, but suddenly things happened and Man U triumphed over Liverpool and the rest in the end to claim the title.
We all have our bad weeks, maybe this week is just man u's bad week.
Don't worry, we'll come back.
And I'll gleefully await the day your team has its bad week :)
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Cuteness redefined
Primary school kids can really have very cute antics... They're simply so innocent, it seems almost impossible to scold them although they really deserve it sometimes.
Situation 1
I came across 2 students arguing and proceeded to try to resolve the issue.
Student A: Teacher, you see lah he!
Student B: What! I didn't do anything, you don't anyhow.
Student A: You don't lie lah! You say liverpool not good just now.
Student B: Ya, say like that also cannot izzit?
Student A: Liverpool very good, you don't anyhow say they very bad. Bad, bad, man U then bad!
And I was dumbfounded for the first time. Arguing over trivial matters, and although I had to stop to intervene, I must say I found this situation quite hilarious. I never thought football would play THAT much an influence in the lives of primary school kids but how wrong I was. HAHA! I swear, a normal person would have received a lecture from me for condemning Man U that way but hey, he was just too cute to be lectured :)
Situation 2
As shocking as this may seem, I took a malay class today, and gosh was the class so hyperactive. The kids would not let me get even one minute's worth of rest, as they all proceeded to somehow get my attention by doing funny things. Some would jump across and shout for me, some would run across the class and some would just pull my hand and bring me to their desk to have a 'chat' with me. They all gathered around me and demanded to know my real age, like some protest or something. I told them I was 19, and THEY DID NOT BELIEVE ME! They all claimed I look more like a secondary school kid who just finished his O Levels and they wanted to know what secondary school I came from and how well I did for my O Levels. I insisted that I was already in NS and past my A Levels and nobody really wanted to buy my story until...
Student C: He look like 23 la! I think he married already, cause my father get married at 18.
Its amazing to see how young children behave around you, and its really fun to get to listen to how they feel about issues. Surprisingly, these kids are actually quite well informed if you ask me.
Being around kids just makes my day. Perhaps this is the route for me in the future I guess.
But then again, being around kids can be a rather saddening thing, for it reminds us that we're not as young as we once were. They have pure innocent minds, whilst ours are corrupted and too filled with unnecessary knowledge.
Sometimes I have this wish that I could start off as a little boy all over again
Situation 1
I came across 2 students arguing and proceeded to try to resolve the issue.
Student A: Teacher, you see lah he!
Student B: What! I didn't do anything, you don't anyhow.
Student A: You don't lie lah! You say liverpool not good just now.
Student B: Ya, say like that also cannot izzit?
Student A: Liverpool very good, you don't anyhow say they very bad. Bad, bad, man U then bad!
And I was dumbfounded for the first time. Arguing over trivial matters, and although I had to stop to intervene, I must say I found this situation quite hilarious. I never thought football would play THAT much an influence in the lives of primary school kids but how wrong I was. HAHA! I swear, a normal person would have received a lecture from me for condemning Man U that way but hey, he was just too cute to be lectured :)
Situation 2
As shocking as this may seem, I took a malay class today, and gosh was the class so hyperactive. The kids would not let me get even one minute's worth of rest, as they all proceeded to somehow get my attention by doing funny things. Some would jump across and shout for me, some would run across the class and some would just pull my hand and bring me to their desk to have a 'chat' with me. They all gathered around me and demanded to know my real age, like some protest or something. I told them I was 19, and THEY DID NOT BELIEVE ME! They all claimed I look more like a secondary school kid who just finished his O Levels and they wanted to know what secondary school I came from and how well I did for my O Levels. I insisted that I was already in NS and past my A Levels and nobody really wanted to buy my story until...
Student C: He look like 23 la! I think he married already, cause my father get married at 18.
Its amazing to see how young children behave around you, and its really fun to get to listen to how they feel about issues. Surprisingly, these kids are actually quite well informed if you ask me.
Being around kids just makes my day. Perhaps this is the route for me in the future I guess.
But then again, being around kids can be a rather saddening thing, for it reminds us that we're not as young as we once were. They have pure innocent minds, whilst ours are corrupted and too filled with unnecessary knowledge.
Sometimes I have this wish that I could start off as a little boy all over again
3 months in
Gosh the evilness of work made so so caught up in it that I totally forgot for a moment that I actually have a blog to update! hehe.. so sorry to my readers for the long hiatus, so here's an update regarding whatever that has been happening so far:
For a start, I guess most of whatever that has been happening so far goes to NCDCC. The unit I've been posted to for my NS vocation seems like a heavenly one. People say that being an NCDCC officer is like being on cloud 9, cause all you do is slack, scold people and continue the cycle daily without having to care about anything else that's going on around us. People keep insisting we, as officers, lead a slacky life cause face it, as much as we want to be appreciated, we are not operational people. If there were a war in Singapore, do we as officers get mobolized? No, hence we get looked down upon.
But here's my question to you, WHO educates the young regarding civil defence so as to allow them to get a better picture of what to do during times of emergency. As much as people think we're living a great life, they fail to see the bigger picture, or rather whatever happens behind. The many sleepless nights, countless proposals and phonecalls made, pre-event preparation, stress and anxiety, we experience this on a weekly basis. And don't you forget, we too have our own social lives to lead. The very fact that we're devoting our lives as officers to cadets show how dedicated we are in serving our nation. We work on most days and there is a price to pay for this, which is that we sacrifice our social lives just for the nation.
I don't know if anybody is actually far sighted enough to weigh the factors up to this point, but well if you did, then probably you'll get whatever I've been blabbering about. Period.
On the brighter side, here's all that has been happening in NCDCC for me:
Going down to schools on a weekly basis to conduct talks, lessons and many other aspects of learning related to NCDCC. Its fortunate that I've been posted to NCDCC, a vocation close to something really fond to me, which is teaching. I've got this passion towards teaching others, and there really is this big sense of satisfaction attained when you see your students learn from whatever you have been trying to bring across to them. Footdrill, first aid, its really heartwarming when they credit their success to you and inform you that you have helped make an impact upon their lives. The picture above was taken 2 weeks back when I went down to Juying Secondary School to teach the NCDCC cadets first aid dressing. Tough it was, and I was really afraid that I screwed up big time, but at the end of it I realized that the cadets did learn something from myself and they even requested for myself to come back in future to educate them as they personally told me that they feel comfortable and enjoy my presence there as an educator towards them. Touching words, and such are the pleasures I experience which make me press on with every little bit of motivation I get.
There are times where things get really stressed up and you feel as if you just want to give up, then these are the times where the colleagues, friends and cadets really play a part in encouraging you to press on. Its just been 3 months, yet I'm really glad to have met all these people who have been with me throughout...
The awesomest people you'll ever get to work with in my opinion :)
And to end it all off, this is the vocation that has enabled me to gain so much experience that I would never have garnered elsewhere. Just three months in, yet so many experiences gained. This is the beauty of NCDCC. One event I'll really remember would be being involved in NDP 2009 as a trainer for the NCDCC marching contingent. This really made me realize how much effort and hard work is put in by all the participants each year just to make NDP a stupendous event for Singaporeans to watch and enjoy. It may be in August, but training starts way early, in fact as early as March or April, and seeing the pre-preparations made in front of my very eyes made me realize how much we ought to appreciate all these people working behind the scenes just to make sure that NDP runs smoothly. I was honoured, and that patriotic feeling towards Singapore in me did increase by a few notches, just because this time round I was an active participant instead of a passive viewer.
Just five months in, and I'm sure there are many more opportunities for me, just waiting for me to open the door when it's knocked upon...
I'm blessed to be surrounded by these people, I really am. This year's in fact, one of the worst years ever for me, having been rejected for so many things so many times, some of which are seriously once in a lifetime opportunities. Its painful to know that, yet I always believe that there's a reason why everything is happening. To be frank its hard to believe this when a blow comes at you consecutively without giving you enough space to breathe and absorb the full impact. Yet these are the very people who have both directly and indirectly helped me through the tough times.
They give me reason to believe.
For a start, I guess most of whatever that has been happening so far goes to NCDCC. The unit I've been posted to for my NS vocation seems like a heavenly one. People say that being an NCDCC officer is like being on cloud 9, cause all you do is slack, scold people and continue the cycle daily without having to care about anything else that's going on around us. People keep insisting we, as officers, lead a slacky life cause face it, as much as we want to be appreciated, we are not operational people. If there were a war in Singapore, do we as officers get mobolized? No, hence we get looked down upon.
But here's my question to you, WHO educates the young regarding civil defence so as to allow them to get a better picture of what to do during times of emergency. As much as people think we're living a great life, they fail to see the bigger picture, or rather whatever happens behind. The many sleepless nights, countless proposals and phonecalls made, pre-event preparation, stress and anxiety, we experience this on a weekly basis. And don't you forget, we too have our own social lives to lead. The very fact that we're devoting our lives as officers to cadets show how dedicated we are in serving our nation. We work on most days and there is a price to pay for this, which is that we sacrifice our social lives just for the nation.
I don't know if anybody is actually far sighted enough to weigh the factors up to this point, but well if you did, then probably you'll get whatever I've been blabbering about. Period.
On the brighter side, here's all that has been happening in NCDCC for me:
Going down to schools on a weekly basis to conduct talks, lessons and many other aspects of learning related to NCDCC. Its fortunate that I've been posted to NCDCC, a vocation close to something really fond to me, which is teaching. I've got this passion towards teaching others, and there really is this big sense of satisfaction attained when you see your students learn from whatever you have been trying to bring across to them. Footdrill, first aid, its really heartwarming when they credit their success to you and inform you that you have helped make an impact upon their lives. The picture above was taken 2 weeks back when I went down to Juying Secondary School to teach the NCDCC cadets first aid dressing. Tough it was, and I was really afraid that I screwed up big time, but at the end of it I realized that the cadets did learn something from myself and they even requested for myself to come back in future to educate them as they personally told me that they feel comfortable and enjoy my presence there as an educator towards them. Touching words, and such are the pleasures I experience which make me press on with every little bit of motivation I get.
There are times where things get really stressed up and you feel as if you just want to give up, then these are the times where the colleagues, friends and cadets really play a part in encouraging you to press on. Its just been 3 months, yet I'm really glad to have met all these people who have been with me throughout...
The awesomest people you'll ever get to work with in my opinion :)
And to end it all off, this is the vocation that has enabled me to gain so much experience that I would never have garnered elsewhere. Just three months in, yet so many experiences gained. This is the beauty of NCDCC. One event I'll really remember would be being involved in NDP 2009 as a trainer for the NCDCC marching contingent. This really made me realize how much effort and hard work is put in by all the participants each year just to make NDP a stupendous event for Singaporeans to watch and enjoy. It may be in August, but training starts way early, in fact as early as March or April, and seeing the pre-preparations made in front of my very eyes made me realize how much we ought to appreciate all these people working behind the scenes just to make sure that NDP runs smoothly. I was honoured, and that patriotic feeling towards Singapore in me did increase by a few notches, just because this time round I was an active participant instead of a passive viewer.
Just five months in, and I'm sure there are many more opportunities for me, just waiting for me to open the door when it's knocked upon...
I'm blessed to be surrounded by these people, I really am. This year's in fact, one of the worst years ever for me, having been rejected for so many things so many times, some of which are seriously once in a lifetime opportunities. Its painful to know that, yet I always believe that there's a reason why everything is happening. To be frank its hard to believe this when a blow comes at you consecutively without giving you enough space to breathe and absorb the full impact. Yet these are the very people who have both directly and indirectly helped me through the tough times.
They give me reason to believe.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The booksmart or the streetsmart?
Its been a while since I last wrote an argumentative essay, but this question has truly been bothering me, hence I really need to express this out or I think I'll just burst.
Of course all of us would really love to have both but given a choice, would you rather be book smart or street smart?
Before we actually proceed on, being book smart simply means "succeeding academically" . By saying someone is a booksmart it basically means that the person is your typical high flier with a varieties of certificates and A grades to produce when asked for it. The scholar.
well street smart on the other hand is defined as "having the shrewd resourcefulness needed to survive in an urban environment"
If you ask me on my personal opinion, I would have to say that being street smart would be my pick should I be given only one of these 2 choices.
Being a street smart means that we have all the skills needed to survive in today's society. Its not so much of communication, all of us can communicate. Its a matter of whether we're proficient enough at communicating via our methods and skills. At also I feel that in today's society, to survive we've gotta have EQ. Without EQ, its goinna be really difficult for us to socialize with others cause many at times we may say the wrong things and all without even realizing it.
Hence in this sense I feel being a street smart is really important.
Being street smart gets you the necessary skills to be employed. A street smart can aim to study hard enough to finally achieve both aspects and perform really well in his career.
A book smart, on the other hand, simply cannot, for his strength lies in the realm of the brain, with words words words. He simply does not have much experience in the real world to make it big. The booksmart can really be clever and go on to get degrees and masters, but is that really all that matters in todays society? We are judging humans by pieces of papers and not how well skilled they are, isnt that ridiculous? This might sound like the case here in Singapore but I firmly believe the traditional idea of looking out for skills is still important.
If being booksmart really did matter to Singapore, they would not have implemented the rule with regards to CCA and Direct Schools Admission via skills and talent. They would not have reiterated the importance of being all rounded apart from simply being academically inclined.
Remember 'The Apprentice'? There was this particular season where the booksmarts were pitted against the streetsmarts and who in the end survived? Not the one with the degrees. The streetsmarts had the necessary experience to sell their products and interact with customers while the booksmarts simply relied on their textbook knowledge to help them do the job, which was a wrong move.
Albert Einstein wasnt a booksmart. Well, yes he may be intelligent enough to come up with his own formulas and all, but he was afterall a street smart. A dropout of school who worked his way around this entire episode known as a failure by many, to eventually make it big as one of the world's most respectable figure.
Evidently, the street smart still wins at the end of the day.
Of course all of us would really love to have both but given a choice, would you rather be book smart or street smart?
Before we actually proceed on, being book smart simply means "succeeding academically" . By saying someone is a booksmart it basically means that the person is your typical high flier with a varieties of certificates and A grades to produce when asked for it. The scholar.
well street smart on the other hand is defined as "having the shrewd resourcefulness needed to survive in an urban environment"
If you ask me on my personal opinion, I would have to say that being street smart would be my pick should I be given only one of these 2 choices.
Being a street smart means that we have all the skills needed to survive in today's society. Its not so much of communication, all of us can communicate. Its a matter of whether we're proficient enough at communicating via our methods and skills. At also I feel that in today's society, to survive we've gotta have EQ. Without EQ, its goinna be really difficult for us to socialize with others cause many at times we may say the wrong things and all without even realizing it.
Hence in this sense I feel being a street smart is really important.
Being street smart gets you the necessary skills to be employed. A street smart can aim to study hard enough to finally achieve both aspects and perform really well in his career.
A book smart, on the other hand, simply cannot, for his strength lies in the realm of the brain, with words words words. He simply does not have much experience in the real world to make it big. The booksmart can really be clever and go on to get degrees and masters, but is that really all that matters in todays society? We are judging humans by pieces of papers and not how well skilled they are, isnt that ridiculous? This might sound like the case here in Singapore but I firmly believe the traditional idea of looking out for skills is still important.
If being booksmart really did matter to Singapore, they would not have implemented the rule with regards to CCA and Direct Schools Admission via skills and talent. They would not have reiterated the importance of being all rounded apart from simply being academically inclined.
Remember 'The Apprentice'? There was this particular season where the booksmarts were pitted against the streetsmarts and who in the end survived? Not the one with the degrees. The streetsmarts had the necessary experience to sell their products and interact with customers while the booksmarts simply relied on their textbook knowledge to help them do the job, which was a wrong move.
Albert Einstein wasnt a booksmart. Well, yes he may be intelligent enough to come up with his own formulas and all, but he was afterall a street smart. A dropout of school who worked his way around this entire episode known as a failure by many, to eventually make it big as one of the world's most respectable figure.
Evidently, the street smart still wins at the end of the day.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Liverpool VS Singapore Match
I swear, I actually had faith in Singapore doing well for this match against Liverpool. The way they played during the first half was rather convincing and here I was thinking that they would at least be good enough to draw against the 'legendary' Liverpool but no how wrong I was.
Mistake number one: Slacking off during the final few seconds of the game leading up to half time
And that really did cost Singapore. No, it was not merely an issue of ONE goal, rather it was the beginning of a sliding downhill confidence and spirit. The lions were really bothered by this one goal, we can tell, and this led to them letting in another FOUR goals to make it a grand total of five goals.
Then again, kudos to Singapore for fighting on and giving it all they've got despite being really thrashed by the liverpool players. One watching the match could easily note the difference, especially in speed, of the players of both sides. It really was a contrasting difference.
Ohh well, things happen. Its alright Singapore, use this as a learning point and work hard towards the next match. We all start off with a couple of failures, but what really matters is we don't give up in climbing up that ladder of success. Well done Singapore for this aspect.
As for Liverpool, yes congrats, you beat Singapore fair and square. Your much needed confidence boost is here. Don't you just love that familiar feeling of happiness and satisfaction after having lost to Manchester United in the Premiere League not too long ago? :)
Mistake number one: Slacking off during the final few seconds of the game leading up to half time
And that really did cost Singapore. No, it was not merely an issue of ONE goal, rather it was the beginning of a sliding downhill confidence and spirit. The lions were really bothered by this one goal, we can tell, and this led to them letting in another FOUR goals to make it a grand total of five goals.
Then again, kudos to Singapore for fighting on and giving it all they've got despite being really thrashed by the liverpool players. One watching the match could easily note the difference, especially in speed, of the players of both sides. It really was a contrasting difference.
Ohh well, things happen. Its alright Singapore, use this as a learning point and work hard towards the next match. We all start off with a couple of failures, but what really matters is we don't give up in climbing up that ladder of success. Well done Singapore for this aspect.
As for Liverpool, yes congrats, you beat Singapore fair and square. Your much needed confidence boost is here. Don't you just love that familiar feeling of happiness and satisfaction after having lost to Manchester United in the Premiere League not too long ago? :)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Solar eclipse
One of the disadvantages of living in Singapore, clearly, is the fact that we do not get to experience the things the other parts of the world get to experience, and a good example would be the recent solar eclipse.
There they were all enthusiastic about this phenomenon that occurs once in a blue moon and here we all are living our daily lives as usual cause well, it was not even able to be witnessed in Singapore. At around the time the eclipse occurred, I was in a meeting which ended about 3 to 4 hours later.
Awesome =X
Anyone managed to catch the solar eclipse?
There they were all enthusiastic about this phenomenon that occurs once in a blue moon and here we all are living our daily lives as usual cause well, it was not even able to be witnessed in Singapore. At around the time the eclipse occurred, I was in a meeting which ended about 3 to 4 hours later.
Awesome =X
Anyone managed to catch the solar eclipse?
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