the saint chronicles

saint2

2007-05-12T20:54:00.000+08:00

breathing new life into this blog once more...

We've created Saint 2.0 - a new blog to continue the rambles of The Saint Chronicles. You may click on the link to access it or simply bookmark our new url - http://saint2.blogspot.com!

S4 EXP Literature

2007-05-09T18:31:00.000+08:00

Poems Deep & Dangerous
S4 EXP Lit Boys - I have allowed free access to the previous blog. If you have lost last year's notes and are desperate to retrieve them, you may bow down with gratitude.

Note : The free access is valid only til this Friday. Yes I'd purposely put this in fine print like most alluring contracts.

2007-05-08T15:32:00.000+08:00

YATTAAAA...!!!!

heroes zeroes

2007-05-08T15:19:00.000+08:00

Heroes - Zeroes
Check out this mock clip of Heroes. Perhaps you could be in one of the episodes! ;)

Heroes 21 trailer

2007-05-03T07:46:00.000+08:00

Do not watch this until you've seen episode 20 in the post below!
I seriously need the get the entire season on DVD!

corner

2007-05-03T06:29:00.000+08:00

cornerd?

Heroes 20

2007-05-02T11:10:00.000+08:00

IT IS HERE!
"5 years gone"
The 1st of the final 4 darker and more sinister episodes...
check out the cool twist on 9-11 and terrorists

PS : click on the player to access the web for parts 2 and 3.

davy

2007-05-02T10:42:00.000+08:00

Remember Davy of One-Minute Fame?
Here's my buddy's (former Saint) son with his new electric drum set.

fancy frames

2007-04-30T18:25:00.000+08:00

fancy frames and silly faces

Heroes 20 Preview

2007-04-29T14:23:00.000+08:00

Heroes 20
Sneak Preview

WARNING : This clip contains spoiler material. Watch at your own expense. :)

Check out this site that spills Heroes juice.

drama

2007-04-26T23:31:00.000+08:00

SYF 2007

Drama Club - Gold

Choir - Silver

Band - Gold

The arts scene in SAS is really looking up. :)

more big p-case

2007-04-26T18:36:00.000+08:00

4N1 - we like it BIG

the only leather version I've come across so far...

with matching shoes!

this is one bad Bill with a Parental Advisory tag

I like those frames...

fancy that! a zipper!

Earth Day

2007-04-22T16:45:00.000+08:00

Today is Earth Day.

What have you done today that will help conserve the earth for the next 100 years so that you will still be able to live on it til the day you grow old?

Read a story about Earth Day.

Play your part. Every effort counts.

Gain

2007-04-17T23:08:00.000+08:00

15 - 3

After all that had been said and shed, yesterday's match rocked because...

- the whole school had gathered for a commendable display of the SAS school spirit

- meeting old friends like Mr Koa Chee Meng and Miss Wendy Yong

- receiving friendly gestures from my first batch of ex-students who came back to show their support - some spotting wild and long manes and/or with added arsenal of GFs.

- sitting among both the great and the small all attired in a sea of blue and white

- hearing important people in authority scream and yell like emo-teenagers all over again during the match

- a hoarsed-voice Mr Ng reminding the spectators to cheer the players on in the final minutes as the game was not yet over

- Devaraj putting his peers under serious scrutiny when he demonstrated the real spirit to cheering -->way to go dude! (or is it Zigger?)

- the 2 spectacular tackles by Hasiff and Robert that sent the opponents to the level of dust mites, and sparking off abyss-deep groans from the SAS cheering squad

- Robert returning to the field for the last bit of the game and from the spectators' stand, hearing him yell at the rest of the team not to give up - what a display of strength and courage in the face of grim adversity!

- his face-saving penalty kick that rolled the `0' away

- having the C Div game still next term to kick some ass!

Thanks guys for a great B Div season! :)

1n3

2007-04-15T22:38:00.000+08:00

1n3 boys :

The Forum web address for Project Ace is :

http://s6.invisionfree.com/Project_Ace/

2007-04-15T06:42:00.000+08:00

Rugby B Div Finals

16 April (Mon)
Time : 430pm
Venue : Police Academy

blown away

2007-04-13T18:59:00.000+08:00

I just wanted to retrieve my bottle...(someone report that hand to the DM!)

the plant is cuter...save the plant!

what??!! It's really Friday the 13th??!!

1N3

2007-04-13T07:47:00.000+08:00

1N3 Project Ace
he ain't heavy, he's my brother

clowns

2007-04-12T18:56:00.000+08:00

funny pair

tuition sessions with them are always sprinkled with laughing stiches...

2007-04-11T07:41:00.000+08:00

Choose {RED}

manifesto

2007-04-11T07:25:00.001+08:00

Everyone wants a piece of the billionairess. I'm not pro-violence but this clip is rather interesting.

Huey Vs Oprah

2007-04-11T07:11:00.001+08:00

Just Like My Child

Have you ever watched the images of what's happening in Africa, particularly to children, & wondered "how can I help?" like Angelina Jolie, Oprah, Bono, Brad Pitt and Madonna?

Do you have a feeling of helplessness as you suppress your desire to help & just get back to the business of your day to day life?

Trying to make a direct contribution to the people who really need the help is very difficult and often times, the money you donate won't make it to the people who need it most.

The JustLikeMyChild.org foundation has discovered the secret to making a difference.

What if you could save that starving baby? What if you could save 500 mothers from the same fate as her mother so they could live to raise their children? What if you could educate these women so they gain a voice where they have none now?

Learn more at http://www.JustLikeMyChild.org

The Secret to Helping Africa like Oprah

2007-04-10T06:41:00.000+08:00

One of my influences in life - Oprah Winfrey on Dr. Martin Luther King.

Groundbreaking: Oprah Winfrey

2007-04-08T00:39:00.000+08:00

B Div Rugby
Semi Finals

10 April 2007 (Monday)
Venue : Old Police Academy (Thomson Road)
Time : 3pm

biased

2007-04-06T02:06:00.000+08:00

"Cher, you are biased!"

Haven't we all heard that before?

I checked up the faithful online Longman and I was pleasantly surprised by my discovery. Here's how the vocabulary folks define the word:

1) unfairly preferring one person or group over another:
Of course I'm biased, but I thought my daughter's paintings were the best.

racially biased attitudes

biased against/towards/in favour of
news reporting that was heavily biased towards the government

2) more interested in a particular thing than in another

biased towards
The majority of infants are biased towards being social rather than being antisocial.

My intuition was right. The word is presented both in the postive and negative light. Do indulge me in this train of thought after you have blurted out the comment so loudy in class, some very rudely I might add?

What is your favourite sport? Why do you choose say, soccer, over squash? Regarding that latest "Linkin Park" CD you have just bought - what made you decide not to pick "Fall Out Boy"'s offering? You are hungry and it is recess time. The queues at the Muslim stall and the one selling pizzas are always long. How about the time you sneaked into the auditorium screening "300" instead of heading to watch "Mr Bean's Holiday" which you had bought the tickets to - did you realise that it was an unlawful favourite choice?

When we are biased towards our favourite food or sources of entertainment, we are indirectly biased against the choices we reject simultaneously.

So is it wrong to be bias?

Let's admit it. All of us have our favourites and we feel good indulging in them. That makes us all biased creatures of habit.

So when is being biased frowned upon? It becomes obvious when you are not the chosen one for the class committee or to help the coolest teacher wash her car. The result? We protest and kick up a storm. We want justice done and call upon all the deities to aid us in our most evil schemes of revenge against the chosen one and the `choose-r' (whom we think has absolutely bad taste). In other words, when our feelings, or shall we say, ego, is hurt in Darwin's natural selection process, the other party is "biased".

In my opinion, the `choose-r' does err when she is openly biased. While many of us can openly declare our favourites, the situation becomes worse for those of us in positions of authority and honour. We have to be careful to uphold fairness over our subservient minders. Yes, even our parents err once in awhile over this. I'm sure you have had a similar experience.

I can think of one situation when the two faces of biasness, like two sides of a coin, work well for some of you out there. Imagine casting your eyes over the group of girls and jackpot! You zoomed in on your favourite, walk up to her and make your opening speech. In your mind, her girlfriends are smitten with envy. With glassy eyes, they coyly cry out, "Why you biased against us?" You wink that suave gesture and deep inside, you love all the attention showered upon you.

So you think you are not - biased?

2007-04-05T17:37:00.000+08:00

Calvin popped his hip during a game of soccer.

He's recovering well with a limp. Take care dude!

2007-04-05T17:36:00.000+08:00

5N1 V-Doll?

2007-04-03T22:33:00.000+08:00

Pre Sports Day face paint

2007-04-03T20:57:00.000+08:00

I guess I have not updated this blog as regularly as before with snapshots of my encounters in SAS. So I thought I will also start penning my thoughts on a few issues around the village. In case you get carried away thinking that you will be able to pick up some juicy bites here, please surf elsewhere. I know better to avoid controversy. :)

So here it goes.

On teacher absenteesm...

I was standing in for some teachers today. Students often ask me (I'm sure they do so out of their deepest concern for the plights of teachers who are missing-in-action), "Sir, where's Miss X?"

You know, I find that question very intriguing.

My response? I would frown, most sincerely, peer into my pockets and reply, "She's not in my pocket. I'm sorry I cannot help you out here."

Many students catch the drift cum humour quickly but to the absolute clueless, they often leave with this bewildered expression on their faces and probably a conclusion that this teacher is a total wacko.

My point being - most of the time, we do not know why other teachers are absent from school. Even if we do, we are not entitled to reveal the personal agendas of our colleagues to students.

Nevertheless, thanks for the enquiry. Next time, try the MTD (Missing Teachers Department). :)

2007-03-30T22:01:00.000+08:00

1N3 Project Ace
Float Making Session

2007-03-29T05:20:00.000+08:00

2B Big Gulp!

2007-03-27T21:07:00.000+08:00

Results of B Div Rugby

SAS (5) vs ACS (8)

The good news is we'll go into the next round regardless of the outcome of the match. So we'll meet them again.

Daryl & Rob with the kicks - we know you guys tried your best so your efforts are appreciated!

photos by Brian (2B) who had hijacked my camera during the match

Rubgy B Div

2007-03-25T22:17:00.000+08:00

This week's games :

Rugby B Div
SAS vs ACS(I)
Date : 27/3, Tuesday
Time : 430pm
Venue : SAJC Stadium

2N4

2007-03-23T22:24:00.000+08:00

2N4
Drink up.

caught!

2007-03-21T22:08:00.000+08:00

Basketball!ers..

hockey semi

2007-03-21T20:48:00.000+08:00

Hockey B Div
SAS versus RI
2 - 0

YES! We are 3rd!
Thanks to Prashan for the faithful updates.

loser?

2007-03-20T22:03:00.000+08:00

What a twisted slogan...

Results

2007-03-20T19:30:00.000+08:00

Game Results

Monday
B Div Hockey
SAS vs YuHua
1-2
We will be playing for 3rd and 4th position soon.

C Div Tennis
SAS vs Victoria
0-5
The team is not out of the race yet.

hockey, rugby

2007-03-18T23:10:00.000+08:00

This week's games :

pray/ support the B Div boys

Hockey Semi-Finals
SAS vs YuHua Sec
Date : 19/3, Monday - TOMORROW!
Time : 430pm
Venue : Delta Stadium (where last year's finals was held)

Rugby
SAS vs RI
Date : 22/3. Thursday
Time : 430pm (to be confirmed)
Venue : field next to SAJC gate

NOTE : The details of the games are put up here as and when players keep us informed. If you know of other CCAs having their competition and would like the details to be put up here, you may post it in the tagboard (the Blabber) and we will do our best to post it.

2007-03-17T21:47:00.000+08:00

2A Beijing Exchange Trip
At the Great Wall...

2007-03-16T21:21:00.000+08:00

2A Beijing Exchange Trip
touched by an angel while brushing the panda...

Heroes

2007-03-16T15:22:00.000+08:00

HEROES
You MUST catch this series on SCV ch. 18 (Starworld) every Wed or its repeat telecasts over the weekends! It is THE NO.1 series in USA now. A few teachers swear by this series. Here's one of the trailers. Click on the play button and be very patient.

2A Bejing 15/3

2007-03-15T20:56:00.000+08:00

2A Beijing Exchange Trip
Welcome sign at the exchange school in Beijing. Syllabus B boys can be excused from interpreting it. :)

Leaders Treat

2007-03-13T23:27:00.000+08:00

At Marina South for a buffet treat for some of the former faithful student leaders who had been helping me run activities every step of the way since our inception in 2003.

Reminiscing and laughing at hilarious moments in the past.

We had to chop and clean our crabs in this budget but delicious buffet.

Thereafter, we proceeded to Monkey's Bar for dessert because one of them came late and thus owed us all a drink each.

Well, there you go - they (and a few others who could not join us) are truly the best thing that has happened to me in my previous teaching career.

2A Beijing

2007-03-13T06:47:00.001+08:00

2A left for Beijing today on an educational trip. Enjoy yourself guys!

SAS vs ACS (B)

2007-03-08T17:54:00.000+08:00

SAS vs ACS (Barker)

My first match of the season. It was worth the effort to rush down from tuition to catch 45 minutes of my first match of the season, only to head back again for another assignment. There I saw old faces and experienced the thrill that you get from watching a good old rugby match. When I left 10 minutes into the 2nd half, the score was 21-0.

1N3 Basketball

2007-03-07T20:10:00.000+08:00

Basketball-ing with 1N3!

2007-03-06T22:04:00.000+08:00

2N2A

Let me have a sip...

2007-03-05T23:14:00.000+08:00

2B Art

2007-03-05T22:20:00.000+08:00

5N2

Things that make you go hmmm...(in an air-conditioned room!)

Saints Cybergaming 2007

2007-03-05T20:50:00.000+08:00

Saints Gaming Challenge 2007

Dates 21-24 May (after the Mid Year Exams)

Registration is now ON!

For more information, you may head down to

http://blog.shauniee.com/register/

OR

http://sgc.chgaming.com/

tennis and hockey

2007-03-05T20:29:00.000+08:00

The Saints won both matches today!

hockey - 3-0 against Jurong West (I believe)

tennis - 5-0 against Catholic High
We're now 3rd in the B Div competition.

way to go guys!

2007-03-02T20:58:00.000+08:00

Eh...what am I suppose to do next with the pillar???

2007-02-26T23:20:00.000+08:00

Professsor??!

M&Ms...

my cast...my canvas

the ingenius stroke...

2007-02-26T23:15:00.000+08:00

Dead baby rat by the parking lot up close.

2007-02-26T22:56:00.000+08:00

Life's precious moments....

2007-02-26T20:42:00.000+08:00

SAS Saints Gaming Challenge

You've witnessed last year's successful DOTA challenge in school. Here's your chance to be part of the organising committee!

Calling SAS boys (lower sec gets priority though) to join the organising committee. Please drop a comment (click on the comments link just at the end of this entry) if you are interested. Do leave us your full name, class and an email contact so that the organisers can get back to you.

P.S. Do not use the chatbox for this purpose. You may not see your message appear immediately after submission. So do not panic. Needless to say, do NOT spam either.

2007-02-26T06:41:00.000+08:00

1N3 Step Up

2007-02-23T19:48:00.000+08:00

1N3 - Step Up Programme

2007-02-22T22:39:00.000+08:00

Combined SAS & SAJS Fire Drill Session!

2007-02-21T22:34:00.000+08:00

Guess what we found in the staff room?

Drop a comment to this post if you can figure out what this "new year goodie" might be!

new SKIN

2007-02-18T03:38:00.000+08:00

We've changed the skin of this blog. Initially, the direct cut-and-paste job did not work. Having consulted many of you out there on MSN and even allowing one to infiltrate our highly confidential account to try his magic, the problem still could not be resolved. Finally, we decided to click one of the links below to revert the template back to its former basic one before the migration to the new blogger plateform, as a final frustrated measure - and hey presto! the new skin fitted like a glove!

Thanks to Lester for allowing his abandoned blogskin to be used for this makeover.

2N4

2007-02-16T22:29:00.000+08:00

Invigilation Discoveries

2007-02-16T21:25:00.000+08:00

While I was invigilating...

1N1

2007-02-15T21:19:00.000+08:00

1N1

Taichi in Home Econs class (or was it the macarena dance??).

Art #2

2007-02-13T07:34:00.000+08:00

A Pop iconic piece with a simple but effective colour scheme. The subject matter could have been made more explicit and radical. Last seen outside the Art Room opposite the library.

1N1

2007-02-12T20:54:00.000+08:00

1N1

No.......

2A

2007-02-12T20:21:00.000+08:00

2C

2007-02-12T09:15:00.000+08:00

MENTAL HOSPITAL PHONE MENU

2007-02-11T18:02:00.000+08:00

this is hilarious!!!

MENTAL HOSPITAL PHONE MENU
Hello and thank you for calling The State Mental Hospital.

Please select from the following options menu:

If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly.

If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2 for you.

If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6.

If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want. Stay on the line so we can trace your call.

If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be forwarded to the MotherShip.

If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press.

If you are manic-depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press, nothing will make you happy anyway.

If you are dyslexic, press 9696969696969696.

If you are bipolar, please leave a message after the beep or before the beep or after the beep. Please wait for the beep.

If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

If you have low self-esteem, please hang up. Our operators are too busy to talk with you.

If you are menopausal, put the guns down, hang up, turn on the fan, lie down and cry. You won't be crazy forever.

If you are blonde, don't press any buttons, you'll just mess it up anyhow."

1C

2007-02-09T21:12:00.000+08:00

science project?

2007-02-09T18:15:00.000+08:00

O Levels Tuition Results 2007

2007-02-09T17:01:00.000+08:00

Thank God again for great results and improvements once again!

(in name-alphabetical order)
Daniel Tay - A2 - up 5 grades since Prelim Exams 2006!!

Elvinder - B3 - improved by 4 grades since Mid Year Exam 2006!

Jeriel Goh - B3 - on target :)

Jonathan Neo - A1 - upped 7 grades since Mid Year Exam 2006!!!; the ONLY A1 grade in 5NA!)

Jun Liang - B3 - improved 5 grades since Mid Year Exam 2006!!

Konrad - PASS!!! - improved by 2 grades from E8 within 3 months (your struggle to pass English for the past few years is now history!! Well done!)

Maduan - B3 - improved by 3 grades in less than 2 months (WOW!!!) since Preliminary Examinations 2006!

Nicholas - B4 - improved by 2 grades since Mid Year Exam 2006!

Ryan - B4 - up 2 grades since Preliminary Examinations 2006!

Thanks guys for working hard and for bearing with my nagging. Your efforts certainly paid off!

Art - Fund Raising

2007-02-08T21:11:00.000+08:00

The S3 Art students and teachers will be selling some items (e.g. see the badges I bought below) next week to raise funds for an upcoming overseas trip. Show your support ya?

1A

2007-02-08T20:52:00.000+08:00

I played this animal chess game when I was their age! The game sheet has evolved from the former red fonts and 1-dimensional pictures appearance to the present 2D multi-coloured state!

I was a big fan of Ultraman when I was in primary school too.

So this new generation really loves the chess game quite a fair bit - I'm surprised.

The student's sister drew this for him. Neat, eh?

Self-declared top student now hiding behind a chair...I wonder why. Haha!

Tennis B Div Results

2007-02-08T13:45:00.000+08:00

We're into the SEMIs!
Next match : Thursday,15/2
Venue : Kallang

won st patricks 5-0

won acs barker 4-1

won victoria 3-2

lost acsi 5-0

CNY goodies!

2007-02-07T19:25:00.000+08:00

Just received Chinese New Year goodies from one of my tuition kids. Home-made pineapple tarts - my favourite! Thanks-A and mom!

around campus #5

2007-02-06T21:25:00.000+08:00

a middle divider will ease the student traffic congestion

Art #1

2007-02-06T21:01:00.000+08:00

Having discovered numerous art pieces of around, school, I shall attempt my critique of the ones which have caught my attention.

Love the concepts of infinite potential and present work-in-progress. It would be been better if the visual was more subtle by removing the word "unfinished". I met the artist to whom I've mentioned that the idea behind the one white jigsaw piece is rather obvious. Nevertheless, good job!

1C

2007-02-06T20:36:00.000+08:00

1C 2007 really reminds me of 1C 2004. :)

Caught red-handed while engaging in some slapping game.

Benjamin and his special green friend.

Nabil also fell for another green-y "gfriend".

We all know who you are.

Benjamin and Daryl (am I right?)

I cannot recall what his pose was for. If you remember, please post a comment to refresh my memory.

Choosing who to start off the forfeit.

A dance item by the very sporting ...help!

The M I S S I S S I P P I spelling bee!

Spelling "i" with my bottoms.

Needless to say, the session was hilarious!

around campus #4

2007-02-06T20:30:00.000+08:00

One of my favourite spots to chill out when I get a 2-period break. Add plenty of sunshine to that 10 laps - priceless...

Hockey B Div

2007-02-04T15:26:00.000+08:00

SAS vs RI

Date - 7/2 (Wed)
Venue - NTU (for more details, hijack the captain, Reuben, 4S1 or any hockey player)

This is the first game for Saints Hockey.

SAS Rugby Finals 2007 dates

2007-02-04T14:45:00.000+08:00

St Andrew's Rugby Finals 2007
Message: Please set aside these dates for the Rugby Finals!!!

C-Division (U-14) : 15 August 2007 (Wed)
B-Division (U-17) : 11 April 2007 (Wed)
A-Division (U-20) : May 2007*

*date to be confirmed

Source :
St Andrew's Village
Friendster Account

D beat me

2007-02-02T19:49:00.000+08:00

Checkers for those who've completed their class work.

Flexing (FAKE) tattoos.

"This cut is for REAL okay!"

around campus #3

2007-02-02T19:42:00.000+08:00

This used to be my playground in the staff room.

I couldn't resist a shot of an empty courtyard (during school hours) lit up by the late morning sun.

Rugby B Div

2007-02-01T22:11:00.000+08:00

It has begun...

...the B Div Rugby games!

Our guys are playing again on weekdays afternoons. Go support them yeah?!

PS : So sorry I won't be able to do so regularly now because of my work commitments in the afternoons til evenings. Whenever I can, I will be there.

NO kidding!

2007-01-30T07:48:00.000+08:00

A poignant reminder of childlike innocence...

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".
The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"
The little girl replied, "Then you ask him ".

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."
The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?"
Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white."
The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"

The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture. "Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.'
A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the teacher, she's dead."

A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face."
"Yes," the class said.
"Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?"
A little fellow shouted,
"Cause your feet ain't empty."

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God is watching."
Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples.

BACK...Sci/Maths??

2007-01-27T23:14:00.000+08:00

Okay. I had the most startling revelation today at dinner with some friends whom I have met recently. They think I look more like a Science/Maths than English teacher! I was more amused than anything else. I was, afterall, a former triple-Science and double Maths student in my secondary school days who nearly ventured into medicine if not for the dwinling interest in one of the former. That is another story all together of course.

Seriously speaking, what does an English or Science or Maths teacher look like? I do not deny the existence of stereotypes - even that of teachers. Thankfully, the image of a teacher has undergone a nib-tuck-like makeover in recent years. As for myself, many years back when the circus all started, I certainly did not want to be that dull and distant (D&D and dead too!) teacher in today's contemperary and exuberant world. I mean, I cannot imagine myself today as a student, sitting in class listening to the monotony of some former teachers and perhaps being gratefully distracted by the occasional droning fan and straying fly leaving a spluttering mess when their worlds collide. Enough said. The seven-and-a-half years had been a swell ride.

I will take this opportunity to answer some FAQs I have encountered lately along the corridors.

1) Why are you back in school?
I come in 3 times a week to help out with the STEP UP programme and relief teaching - think teacher WITHOUT the admin work, CCA, volumnous essays and scripts to mark and various multi-tasking projects. This arrangement complements my tuition assignments perfectly.

2) Does this mean tuition is bad business?
God has been so good by blessing me with amazing results with 95% of my students whom I slog to get there of course. So if you think I sell the magic-results pill, think again. Nothing beats sheer roll-up-your-sleeve-and-start-digging hardwork for those under me. So how am I doing in this area? Without mentioning numbers, I can only say this : I am overwhelmingly and amazingly blessed.

My current existence is perhaps best summed up by a favourite poem (which coincidentally a Sec2N1 student, Eugene -great choice dude!- showed me just last week) and a groovy Madonna song which I will include below :

The Road Not Taken
Robert Frost

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

jump
Madonna

There's only so much you can learn in one place
The more that I wait, the more time that I waste

I haven't got much time to waste
It's time to make my way
I'm not afraid what I'll face
But I'm afraid to stay
I'm going down my own road
And I can make it alone
All work and no fighting
I'll find a place of my own

Are you ready to jump?
Get ready to jump
Don't ever look back, oh baby
Yes, I'm ready to jump
Just take my hands
Get ready to jump

We learned our lesson from the start, my sisters and me
The only thing you can depend on is your family
And life's gonna drop you down like the limbs of a tree
It sways and it swings and it bends until it makes you see

Are you ready to jump?
Get ready to jump
Don't ever look back, oh baby
Yes, I'm ready to jump
Just take my hands
Get ready to, are you ready?

There's only so much you can learn in one place
The more that you wait, the more time that you waste

All work and no fighting, I'll find a place of my own
It sways and it swings and it bends until you make it your own

I can make it alone

I took the plunge and I am still enjoying the great view!

So today I am not the English, Literature, Maths or Science teacher. It is an ideal arrangement which I am extremely grateful for and one that is the envy of many friends. I do not take this window period for granted of course, not knowing how long it will last. But as long as it remains open, I will explore the woods.

2A BBQ

2007-01-26T23:37:00.000+08:00

Billabong

2007-01-25T18:36:00.000+08:00

Buy 2 Get 1 FREE!

around campus #2

2007-01-23T22:35:00.000+08:00

oasis
I was just waiting at one of the benches outside the computer labs on the 5th floor when I decided to check out the nearby amazing sky garden which Mr Michael Lim had rigged up from scratch.

2A

2007-01-23T19:53:00.000+08:00

REAL Intel Inside

2007-01-21T20:12:00.000+08:00

Something by a former student (2E, 2003)...I thought it was, besides the narcisstic element, a nice tribute to his peers from the same batch.

R&A

2007-01-17T21:38:00.000+08:00

It's Rico and Andre's birthday today! I just happened to have gotten my hands on some shots from my paparazzi source of their "torture" last Saturday.

CSI

2007-01-15T22:05:00.000+08:00

A novel way to tekkan mischief...re-enactment with flash photography!

presenting...
CSI - Cheeky Saints Investigation

Episode I : When Harry met Hairy

Episode II : Bottle Throttle

Til Halo do we part...

2007-01-13T21:59:00.000+08:00

1B Can you spot me?

2007-01-09T08:32:00.000+08:00

The identity of the following clown will not be revealed in order not to save him from further embarrassment. :)

"I want to appear in both pictures so I jump and wave in this picture and then ..."

"...I dash across the class when Mr Ho snaps the other half of my class!"

No comments.

2N2

2007-01-09T08:09:00.000+08:00

35mins

2007-01-09T03:00:00.000+08:00

"Hooper's birthday is in about 35 minutes. U have anything on?" was the sms that came 35 minutes before mid-night. Did I have anything on? Yes, sleep. After checking in on the identity of the caller and upon realising that a wicked plan came along with it, I jumped out of bed and was out of the house in a record time of less than 5 minutes. So drove down to my accomplices' places I did before making a beeline back to Hooper's. The plan was to appear one at a time before the birthday boy and I was to be the last with the getaway vehicle. Before my act was due, I received a phonecall from none other than Hooper himself. Apparently, he had called to ask if I could drive over (when I'm just hiding below the stairs) and join them for supper - at approximately 1220am. That is how considerate they are and how well they know me enough to call me at such an hour. Knowing very well that I have to relief teach in a few hours' time, I still went ahead with this spontaneous birthday surprise. They are, afterall, my first and closest batch of ex-students who still keep in contact with me regularly. This was fun and I have always loved doing crazy stuff when I was their age. Who cares if I am getting less sleep for work later? So we dragged our very cooperative birthday boy to a prata place along Yio Chu Kang.

Erywn, Darrell, Hooper and me.

Right now, I have to catch whatever remaining sleep I can get before dawn sets in. Morning!

chill

2007-01-06T23:54:00.000+08:00

Chilling out at Ms ZGoh's birthday gathering...recognise most of us?