领悟

看了「那些年、我们一起追过的女孩」后，很喜欢男主角在女主角婚礼时得到的领悟。不管是曾真心爱过或是现在爱恋的人，只要她找到了一个能爱她，疼她的另一半时，都应该给与她祝福。

祝福你。

So long

Now that all the dust has settled, I can blog about it here – 31 July is my last day as a (contract) teacher. After more than 1 year in this line, it’s time to say goodbye. As mentioned previously, I did grow a lot during this 1 year, no thanks to all the wonderful people I have worked with. It’s true when they say there are lessons to be learnt no matter what you do, the only question mark is whether your mind and heart are willing to think and reflect.

Now, why did I leave and where will I be going? I did not make it a secret that it’s only a matter of time I enter the family business, and it’s now the time. You can say it’s another calling, I suppose. No, I do not feel it’s an obligation or duty, but a responsibility that I will want to take on to ensure continuation of the business.

In case you are wondering, I haven’t officially started work yet. I will be taking a holiday in Hokkaido with my mum for a week I realised it’s been such a long time since I last traveled with her, so this is indeed a good time to do so. There’s no need to squeeze with the June crowd, meaning lower fares all around!

Anyway, here are some photos to remember my days in my previous career. I did not really take pictures with my colleagues, because I hate to say goodbye. Besides, I will be seeing them again during the Teachers’ Day dinner in 3 weeks time. Yes I am invited! Most of the pictures will be taken then.

My cubicle

My metal cabinet

Time table, up close

Some of my students were rather sweet! The big orange card on the shelf  in the first pic was done by 3T1, and 3E2 gave me a preview of the video they’d be screening during National Day celebrations. Thanks people! It’s not an emotional farewell, since I told them most probably I will see them in Jurong Point quite often (which is the truth, fortunately or otherwise).

Lastly, a big thank you to my fellow colleagues who have taught me so much during the past year. Yes, I am grateful to everyone whom I have worked with, especially to my mentor. He’s simply remarkable. Thanks Mr. Yip! As for the others, well too many to list but you know who you are Thanks for all the blessings, and all the (ahem..free) farewell dinners and lunches. I have never eaten so much in 1 week before.

Time to hit the treadmill…

My Wants

It’s the wonderful Great Singapore Sale now, and naturally I have been doing a bit of (window) shopping. As I am painfully aware of my less than perfect memory nowadays, I have decided to blog it so that I won’t forget the stuff I wanna buy. Do note that for some of the items in this list, it’s not my intention to purchase them in the immediate future :p So far there are 2..will add more along the way.

1. Cuff links

Recently, I gave up buying shirts off the rack and instead, turn to tailoring as a more feasible option. After almost 45 minutes with the tailor, I finally understood why off-the-rack shirts never fit me well. Simply put, my physique is on the top heavy side and most shirts will just leave too much clothe come to the waist area. Since I haven’t had a shirt requiring cuff links before, I decided to make one and it’s pink. No not the neon pink, in case you are wondering.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), I have found the cuff links I want! Galaxy Stone Facet cufflinks from Dunhill.

2. Tie

I saw a black Hermes tie with an embroidered golden H on Saturday and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Despite the embroidery, the design is rather understated and few people will know where the tie is from. Perfect! Just that it costs $730. There’s no picture of the tie, but I found something close.

Run To Me

If ever you got rain in your heart,
someone has hurt you,
and torn you apart,
am I unwise to open up
your eyes to love me?

And let it be like they
said it would be -
me loving you girl, and
you loving me.
Am I unwise to open up
your eyes to love me?

Run to me whenever you’re
lonely. (to love me)
Run to me if you need a shoulder
Now and then, you need
someone older,
so darling, you run to me.

And when you’re out in the cold,
no one beside you, and
no one to hold,
am I unwise to open up
your eyes to love me?

And when you’ve got nothing
to lose,
nothing to pay for, nothing
to choose,
am I unwise to open up
your eyes to love me

Run to me whenever you’re
lonely. (to love me)
Run to me if you need a shoulder
Now and then you need
someone older,
so darling, you run to me.

1 Year On

How time flies. Next month will mark my 1 year anniversary in the teaching line. Many people have asked me the same thing, and that’s whether I think I have wasted my time. These people include my colleagues, and of course my friends.

Truth is, well, no. This 1 year has allowed me to learn a lot about myself, and let me see a very real part of the Singapore society. Most kids are studying in neighbourhood schools like ours, and since I did not exactly come from one, this 1 year has been a major eye opener. What I see leaves me a little worried, but nevertheless, gives me some hope and optimism. Some of the young men and women I see today in my classes will go on to become leaders in the future, while the other rough and unpolished gems do have the same potential as well.

So what is the most important lesson I have learnt? I can say I have greater insights into the art of parenting. Thanks to numerous interactions with parents of students, I have witnessed some touching (and some depressing) moments.

I have met a father who is willing to plonk down $1200 for a set of encyclopedia for his daughter. To some people $1200 is merely loose change, but we are talking about someone who hardly earns more than $2k a month. He’s the type of father who will skip meals or eat bread to allow his kids to have a better shot at advancing in this competitive world. I was rather touched, to be honest. And thankfully, his daughter knew how much her dad had done and is doing for her.

There are also parents who are at their wits’ end. What to do with their out of control children? I can feel their pain and despair, because sometimes I feel the same pain too. Unfortunately, as teachers, we can only do so much. The rest will have to depend on the kid’s sensibilities and good parenting. I am determined to spend more time with my own children in the future, because I can see a correlation between the amount of time parents spent with their children and the children’s behaviour.

Yes,  during this 1 year I have seen a part of Singapore that one doesn’t get to read about in The Straits Times or hear about in Channel NewsAsia. This job has and will keep me down to earth, and that to me is priceless. Where will I go from here? Well some have already known my plans and where I will be headed. There will be updates on this blog when the time comes

Random

After all these while, I have finally woken up and realised I was merely someone who was, well, convenient. How nice.

Naive no more.

Finding someone who is as happy as yourself

(This is taken from today’s Chinese newspaper. I thought it’s rather profound and thought provoking.)

He’s a cheerful boy. She’s a depressed girl. Strange enough, it’s this aura of depression that attracted him to her.

She’s a unusually skinny girl, long hair with a constant frown on her pale face. He believed she needed someone to protect her. She’s pessimistic, emotional, and was often upset over her friends’ harmless remarks.

He often said to her, “What will you do without me? I’m the only one in the world who understands you.”

When she’s in a good mood, she would reply, “You are my sunshine, and only your warmth can reach the darkest corner of my heart. I can’t live without you.”

And they thought they would spend the rest of their lives together. But one day, the boy met a impossibly cheerful girl, and he decided to leave the depressed girl. She blamed him for being a skirt chaser, and was upset over the breakup.

He did blame himself, but he decided to stick to his decision. After knowing the cheerful girl, he realised he was tired of the previous relationship. When he’s with this cheerful girl, he could indulge in his happiness without worrying about his girlfriend’s emotional moments. He didn’t need to worry when the next storm would occur, or when the next earthquake would strike. Every day was a sunny day.

Happy people tend to be attracted by people who are opposites. But if he has a choice, he will realise life’s simpler and easier with a partner who’s at least as happy as himself. Research has shown that the higher the difference in level of happiness, cracks are bound to appear. Although people complement each other with our differences, we should keep in mind that it’s almost impossible to complement each other emotionally and character-wise.

Cadbury Mini-eggs

Does anyone where I can get Cadbury mini eggs (those coated with a hard candy shell)? NTUC is having a joint promo with Cadbury now but the mini eggs prove to be extremely elusive. Even the JP 24-hr NTUC doesn’t carry it..sigh..

Sh-sh-sh-shake it

This happened last Sunday at the Petaling Shell (‘see hum’) station near KL. While on my way back to Singapore, I decided to stop at this big petrol kiosk to top up since I only have less than half tank to last me the entire 300+km journey.

It’s peak hour and cars were lining up for their turn at the pump. Fortunately, things were moving along briskly. As I inched forward, I caught sight of this car rocking from side to side at one of the pumps towards the back end of the kiosk. In fact, it looked as if there’s a earthquake and the ground shook violently beneath that car. The only problem? That’s the only car that’s rocking to some off beat rhythm – shake-shake-shake-stoppppp-shake shake-stop-sh-sha-shake-stop.

I commented to my friend who’s in the car with me, ‘That’s gotta be a Singapore car.” True enough, its licence plate starts with S and on the side of the tank a guy around my age is rocking his car from side to side hoping to get more ‘V Power Racing’ fuel inside his 40-litre tank. To the amusement of the pump attendants and fellow motorists, his female companion joined in and helped him rock his car from the other side. Perfect harmony and synchronization I must add. They were the focal point of all the people who were fortunate enough to be there to witness this phenomenon. In fact, someone could have carjacked a Ferrari right there and then and no one would have noticed. No one believed their eyes that such phenomenons, which are commonly found in JB, actually made it to KL!

Now, I have heard about Singaporeans doing stretching by pushing against their car body in Malaysia. Even if rocking the car body can magically enable you to pump an additional 10L of premium fuel into your 40L tank, why do it 300+km away from home near KL when surely you will have the priceless opportunity to do that again in JB, 10km away from the checkpoint?

Honestly, while my friend and I had a good laugh after that, we have never felt more paiseh to be Singaporeans.

Mayday

Yes I am going to their concert. Can’t wait. Here’s one of my favourite Hokkien songs..should learn how to sing this before that..ha and this time the concert will be at the Padang!!

Anyway for those of you who dunno Hokkien, this song is about a guy who sensed that his girlfriend was no longer in love with him, and going seperate ways is probably the best option.

五月天 – 志明与春娇

呜~耶一耶一耶~
志明真正不知要按怎
为什么爱人不愿阁再相偎
春娇已经早就无在听
讲这多其实拢总拢无卡抓
啊~
走到淡水海岸
两个人的爱情
已经无人看已经无人听
啊哈~

我跟你最好就到这
你对我已经没感觉
到这冻止你也免爱我

我跟你最好就到这
你对我已经没感觉
麦阁伤心
麦阁我这爱你你不爱我

志明心情真正有影寒
风这大你也真正拢没心肝
春娇你哪无要和我播这出
咱就走到这位准底煞

走到淡水海岸
两个人的爱情
已经无人看已经无人听
啊哈~

我跟你最好就到这
你对我已经没感觉
到这冻止你也免爱我

我跟你最好就到这
你对我已经没感觉
麦阁伤心
麦阁我这爱你你不爱我
我跟你最好就到这