[the apprentice model] Monday, May 30, 2005, 05:33 p.m. #810 On Thursday I was the photographer, scaring everyone away with my camera. On Sunday I was the model who was being photographed. Talk about karma. Jiahong came to BH on Sunday to help take photos of the solo/duet performers, and I was asked to pose in various postures. I wasn't camera-shy or overly self-aware, but I just didn't know how to pose! Like when I was asked to put one hand on the wall, look at some place far away, pretend to be thinking deeply and be natural - how could I be natural in this pose when the pose is so unnatural to me? I'm never in this posture on normal days! Oh well, guess I'm not cut out to be a model. :/ JW, the following paragraph is for you. It's a blog entry written by my friend - something which I concur with but am too lazy to write out: As people grow older, I think it is getting harder and harder to maintain friendships. People get caught up in work, lovelife etc. In school, at least there is still some source of common topic. Working life... maybe not. Everyone's path diverge. Suddenly you feel there is less in common and meeting up becomes a chore. There are some friends I treasure a lot but it's tiring when you always have to take the initiative to ask "how are you doing", "shall we meet up", etc. We used to be so close and that's why I want to maintain the friendship cos I feel it's a pity to let it go to waste. But maybe when people drift apart, then it's time to let go. Just treasure the memories. I have this box of presents, letters, soft toys from my friends since secondary school. I used to like taking them out to read through them but nowadays I don't bother. It's sad when you realise how some friendships have just gone to waste. But okay, maybe gain some, lose some. I also got to know a lot of new friends and they were the ones who helped me out a lot in many ways. Maybe as one grows, your thinking change so you need different kind of friends who can click with you. And if you have to constantly meet up to maintain the friendship, then maybe the friendship was never that strong in the first place. For instance, I've known H for more than 5 years and I only meet up with H like two or three times a year but there is never any awkwardness when we meet and we find it very easy to confide in each other. I think that's what true friendship should be like. Always being there for you when you need them. Oh. Kelly Perdew became The Apprentice of the second season. No surprises at all. Can't understand how Jennifer got to be runner-up though.

[pictures and doraemon] Saturday, May 28, 2005, 08:09 p.m. #809 1. 小叮当最喜欢什么颜色？ 2. 小叮当问Hello Kitty她最喜欢什么颜色，Hello Kitty没有回答。为什么？ 3. Batman问小叮当他最喜欢什么颜色，小叮当没有回答。为什么？ The Science teachers conducted a Science Exploria on Thursday for lower secondary students. The students went through three stations. At the Physics station, they tried to design a structure made of straw which could protect an egg from breaking upon a two-storey fall. At the Biology station, they extracted colour dyes from tea and vegetables. At the Chemistry station, they tested the pH of various beverages and food. I was the photographer for the day. Took hundreds of pictures of students at work. At the end of the day, I felt a great sense of achievement when I looked through the photos and found some very precious moments caught in the snapshots - some students in full concentration on their structures, some who were not camera-shy smiling widely at the camera, some having weird expressions on their faces, pictures of egg-structures falling in mid-air... No wonder there are people who are mad about cameras and photo-taking. It really feels good when photos are able to capture the happy and memorable moments. 1. 红色，因为“Ang Ang Ang （红）, totemo daisuki... （非常喜欢）” 2. 因为Hello Kitty没有嘴巴 3. 因为小叮当没有耳朵

[t & bo] Saturday, May 28, 2005, 09:08 a.m. #808 Haven't blogged for a few days. Was busy with collection of books as Ms T wants to check them during the June holidays. It's really not an easy task cos it required 6x40=240 students' cooperation within a short timeframe. All teachers had problems with collection as we did not have a chance to see our classes at all - they were having post-exam activities at various venues every day - so we literally had to track down the students and chase them for their books. Until yesterday I only managed to collect 80% of the books. And - surprise, surprise - we were the only department that was going through all this hassle. Carrie Underwood became the American Idol a few days ago. I have been supporting Bo Bice ever since he first appeared in the competition. He had a very sensitive and powerful vocal for a rocker, and his stage presence was phenomenal. I liked Carrie's affecting voice and country style too, but I thought she was the "usual" kind of diva and Bo deserved to win for being more unique.

[aBRAcadaBRA] Tuesday, May 24, 2005, 06:02 p.m. #807 Was on the MRT on my way to meet WK. The whole train was decorated with Wacoal commercials such that everywhere I turned, I saw BRAS, BRAS and more BRAS staring in my face, and I looked like a dirty old man ogling at voluptuous women in sexy undies. There's no place where I could rest my eyes on! This is forced pornography! (Okay, I could pretend to sleep, but this is not the point. And I could focus on her eyes rather than her midsection, but this again is not the point.) I don't understand these undergarment advertisements - their target audience is women but they attract mainly men. Do they expect men to help advertise for them after seeing the ads? Can't imagine a guy saying, "Darling, I saw an advertisement that had a girl in a very enticing bra, I think you should buy it!" Do girls actually buy undergarments because they saw a nice bra ad on the streets? Do girls go, "Ooh, nice design, looks comfortable, makes me look sexy, I should buy it"? I definitely did not buy my briefs or boxers because of ads that I saw.

[ambigrams] Sunday, May 22, 2005, 05:22 p.m. #806 Ambigrams (words that look exactly identical when viewed upside down) aren't that hard to draw afterall? Here are my first attempts. Not bad huh?

[illuminati] Sunday, May 22, 2005, 02:44 p.m. #805 Finished reading Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. Started reading two days ago when I was too bored and it was on my laptop anyway. Once I started, I found myself glued to the screen whenever I could find time to read. It's more dramatic than The Da Vinci Code, and the battle between science and religion becomes more intense as "truths" keep coming up one after another towards the end. And the ambigrams are so beautiful!

[cold jokes again] Saturday, May 21, 2005, 11:48 a.m. #804 吴宗宪在《我猜我猜我猜猜猜》的冷笑话： 1. 小白 + 小白 = ？ 2. 什么卡通人物最乐于助人？ 3. 水饺是男的，还是女的？ 1. 小白兔(TWO) 2. 小叮当，因为他常常伸出援(圆)手 3. 男的，因为它有包皮

[the sith and the butterfly] Saturday, May 21, 2005, 12:25 a.m. #803 Just came back from watching Stars Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the Sith with Azman, Masli, Wee Teck and Jason. It's indeed the most emotional, dramatic, action-packed and important episode out of the six, although I couldn't figure out how Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi could fight above lava without being vaporised. Wee Teck also noticed that Yoda dropped the wookies in a landscape that looked like China - no wonder the later episodes suggested that wookies might be of Chinese origins. :) Took a cab home and found a gigantic black butterfly on the corridor outside my house. I don't think seeing giant butterflies is something very common, but I distinctly remember seeing the same butterfly this morning at Tampines, resting on a pillar on my way to school. Has the butterfly been following me the whole day?!

[missing a practice and a wake] Friday, May 20, 2005, 07:43 a.m. #802 Was supposed to go for BH practice last night, but I fell asleep when I laid on my bed to take a rest after bathing. That was 6.30 p.m. Woke up in the middle of night to realise that I've missed the practice. Read the papers, watched a bit of TV, then went back to sleep again till this morning. Feels good to finally have 8 full hours of sleep (I usually sleep for 4 to 5 hours only.) The reason for being so tired was because we had the DM's visit yesterday. The Director of Meeting (DM), whose duty is to visit a few schools every week, came to our school to answer our queries regarding MOE policies and address our concerns. I was chosen to attend the meeting with the HODs as I am one of the Innovation Activists. Several issues were discussed: performance bonus, problem with delinquents, TLLM... The DM was able to explain the rationale behind some of the policies and also clarified some of the myths that many teachers held. Oh, do you remember the bird that was circling the hall a few weeks ago during examinations? Mdm Tey found its nest near the ceiling outside the hall. Apparently it had been circling the hall as an act of securing the boundaries and protecting its young in the nest. Days after Mdm Tey discovered the nest, some teachers found a dead baby bird on the floor just below it. It could have fell from the nest and died from the impact. Then there was a "wake" where many birds came and flew around the carcass before they took off. It's a shame that I didn't witness the event. When I was told about it, the baby bird wasn't there anymore - the cleaners probably threw it in the rubbish bin. The nest is still up there though.

[willy and summer] Wednesday, May 18, 2005, 09:43 p.m. #801 Attended the solemnisation ceremony of Willy and Summer at The Lawn (Raffles Hotel). Very elaborate for a solemnisation, with a posh buffet (oysters and salmon are part of the fingerfood) and famous guitarists serenading in the background. At the end of the ceremony, Willy sang a love song dedicated to Summer, and Summer gave him a diary which she's been keeping since the day he proposed. They're the most loving couple I've ever seen so far. Summer was Willy's first love, and he proposed to Summer at the playground near her place with a banner, candles and a ring. And they're going for a "solemnisation honeymoon" in Korea this weekend. Best wishes for the two of them. :)

[children ready for redemption] Tuesday, May 17, 2005, 09:09 p.m. #800 Was watching the news about pictures of schoolgirls behaving intimately being posted on the web. An interviewee commented that schools should have focussed more on moral education and not just academics. I hate it when parents try to shift their parental responsibilities when they can't cope with them (and still sound self-righteous while doing it). And this situation is getting worse when parents are better-educated and spend less time with their children - they expect the school to perform the parenting duties for them. They take it for granted when schools are doing these duties well, and they are fast to point fingers when things go wrong. If two parents can't even take care of one child, how can they expect one form teacher to cover every aspect (physical, intellectual, emotional, moral, spiritual, social) of 40 children? Parents should seriously feel more sense of ownership and responsibility towards their children instead of "claiming" them only when the educational system has "packaged" them and made them "ready for redemption".

[survivors] Tuesday, May 17, 2005, 06:22 p.m. #799 Tom Westman emerged as the sole Survivor of Palau. There were actually many likeable characters in this season whom I supported: Stephenie (for her athletic spirit and strong determination), Ian (for his physical and mental strength despite his thin frame), Bobby Jon (for being the most hardworking and upright), Angie (for her perseverance despite being the outcast)... This season was also one which revolved around integrity (while the recent Amazing Race highlighted the lack of it): Ian convinced Tom to pick Katie when they were the Final Three, just to prove that he valued his friendship with Tom and Katie more than winning the million dollars (there was a heated argument about Ian's betrayal earlier on); Janu quit as she felt Stephenie (the only remaining member of the Ulong tribe) deserved to stay in the game more than she did, so that Stephenie could go on with her fight. This season also saw the longest-standing 5-people alliance (between Tom, Ian, Katie, Jennifer and Gregg) which endured and stayed true from the first episode to the very end. Will be looking forward to the eleventh season of Survivor!

[massage and tak giu] Monday, May 16, 2005, 04:44 p.m. #798 SWC got four blind ladies to come to our school to massage the teachers at to help them raise funds. Was massaged at my head, shoulders, arms, back and neck for 20 minutes. Felt shiok when I was being massaged, but after that I still feel stiff. Guess I'll need more than just 20 minutes to ease up my tense muscles... Just downloaded and watched Jacen Tan's Tak Giu, a short film about three youngsters and their desperate search for a place where they could play soccer. Not as cohesive and insightful as Royston Tan's 15, but still very hilarious with its corny script and scenes. Anyone managed to download Royston Tan's Cut? I keep having connection problems when downloading it. :(

[of boots, sleeves and the beret] Sunday, May 15, 2005, 05:29 p.m. #797 Couldn't help smiling in agreement when reading Alfian's article - politically correct and libel-safe: NS 1: boots Army boots are instruments of amplification, and that which it amplifies is personality. Out of the context of footdrill, where synchronicity is the ideal - the sound of a hundred boots should be that of a singular personality - the boot also imbues individual gait with an auditory character. Due to the rigidity of its skin, the boot limits the possibilities of articulation of the foot; its high cut, corseting the ankle, further accentuates this imprisonment. It is impossible to tip-toe while wearing boots, without severely wrinkling the front; similarly it is difficult to try walking with the feet inwards or outwards. What this translates into is a limited repertoire of walking styles, which in turns casts boot-wearers into stereotypical categories. On one hand, we have those whose boots strike the floor with clear, precise thuds: the heels dig in first, followed by the rest of the sole, with the planar discipline of an opening drawbridge. These boots belong to those in positions of authority; the ones who stride unerringly; who bring the line of each of their steps to a choreographic finish (not flourish, since the impressive rigour of the gait is marked by an absence of excess). On the other, we have those whose boots tend to shuffle; the feet are being dragged - passively to denote a slovenly temperament, actively to denote resentment. In both these instances - the commanding clop, the sluggish scrape - character is expressed through the manipulation of the boots' weight. Ultimately, army boots, like most other military signifiers, serve to stratify their wearers. For some, their boots represent the ennobling weight of duty; for others it is the ball-and-chain burden of service. NS 2: sleeves The number 4 uniform can be worn 2 ways: as the smart 4, where the shirt sleeves are folded up to the upper arms, or as the long 4, where the ends of the sleeves are buttoned at the wrists. The degree of formality attributed to these two modes of dressing differs markedly from civilian costume: long sleeves (associated with cufflinks, miniature ironing boards, the executive) indicate the casual posture (combat fatigues), whereas short sleeves (folded to 'get the elbows dirty', the abbreviated uniform of the blue collar) indicate the official attire. Through such a radical act of inversion, the number 4 sends out an unimpeachable message: the semiotic laws at work in the military are contrary to that in the civilian environment; the military operates according to its own internal logic. As has been mentioned, uniform is the great stratifier, and it is in the folding of the sleeves that individuals can be sieved. The standard for the folded sleeve is somewhere at the mid-level of the biceps; anything below this watermark suggests a careless or incompetent disposition. It goes without saying that those with larger biceps possess a greater advantage than those with smaller ones - for the former the perimeter of the folded sleeve is held in place by the friction against muscular bulk. It is the sight of this cuff, aligned to the watermark, which immediately signals the physical superiority of its wearer, although those with smaller built have other means of attaining the standard. The latter can, for example, fold the sleeves of his number 4 while it is suspended from a coat-hanger (almost like a fossilised cast), pushing the folded sleeves as close to the armpit area as possible, and hoping that when he slips into uniform the artificially-sited cuffs would stay in place. Suffice to say that in such an instance, the number 4 stands as a reified symbol of military existence: it is the immediate environment into which a body is placed, and alienation is experienced as the hollow spaces that linger between the weakness of the flesh and the implacable cut of the fabric. NS 3: beret The beret is made of a felt-like fabric; in the army the goal is to remove traces of its softness, its fuzzy texture. And thus the beret is 'seasoned', which means to crease it in such a manner as to make it conform to a rigid, streamlined shape. The sides of the beret are folded inwards, and to force the beret to maintain this origamic form, a weight is placed over it (usually in the form of a mattress). The beret then develops two wings, one of which, asymmetrically positioned to jut over the right side of the head, assumes a cardboard stiffness. This unnatural distortion of the material character of the beret exposes a desire, in the military, for transmutation. And thus the bedsheet is stretched to the point where it is an elastic skin, such that 'a coin can bounce off it'. Boots have their matte leather surfaces polished to the point that their gleam resembles that of chrome - a sign that might appear gauche or vulgar on normal shoes, but which in the army attests to a certain showmanship and proficiency (interesting to note that this flamboyant hyper-competence is often referred to as 'kilat', which in Malay literally means 'shining'). In all these metamorphoses, the product bears the mark of some concentrated labour: matter is compressed, extended, scoured, generally placed under conditions of stress. The net effect is a denial, perhaps even a denunciation, of the original substance of the transformed object. The civilian is no more: in his place is the NSman, who grows into being through regimentation, a systematic deprivation of freedoms, disruptions in his waking and sleeping hours, and a disorientation of time-perception (best encapsulated by the resigned sigh: 'Rush to wait, wait to rush'). The happy soldier is one whose pre-enlistment memories are unhappy.

[the purpose of the semicolon] Friday, May 13, 2005, 04:31 p.m. #796 This is an extract from Dave Barry's article about a column that presents answers to common reader questions about grammar, vocabulary, punctualization and metaphors: Q: What is the purpose of the semicolon? A: It can be used to either (1) separate two independent clauses, or (2) indicate an insect attack: (1) "Well, I'm a clause that certainly doesn't need any help!"; "Me either!" (2) "Be careful not to bump into that ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; AIEEEEEEE!" Q: Please explain correct usage of the expression "by and large." A: It is used as follows: "Earline, I swear on my mother's grave that I never, ever cheated on you, by and large." "Read my lips, by and large." TIP FOR PROFESSIONAL WRITERS: In writing a novel, be sure to include Character Development. WRONG: "Brad gazed into Marsha's eyes." RIGHT: "Brad gazed into Marsha's eyes and noticed that she now had three of them."

[relieved] Friday, May 13, 2005, 02:17 p.m. #795 Finished marking the exam papers! A total of 12 sets of papers in 4 days. So proud of myself. *Long sigh of relief* When all of us are so busy (the deadline for marking is next Monday), there's still a meeting later. Talk about consideration and good planning. Blfftt.

[eight percent] Thursday, May 12, 2005, 04:37 p.m. #794 (Yingyun and Jiajia are going to kill me for this entry.) Health screening by NKF yesterday. Last year I was famous for being the "healthiest guy in ESSS" with only 6% body fat. This year, I still hold the title, with a slightly higher 8%. The pretty nurse analysed my screening results and told me that I'm blessed with good genes and needn't worry about excessive fat intake as I won't grow fat even without exercise - the whole of my body weight is mostly just bones and muscles, which is a good sign. When I told her I'm actually intending to gain weight, she said that I'll need to be more patient as any attempts to gain weight will have to persist for at least three months for me to start seeing results. No wonder my weight-lifting regimes never worked! (Yep, I have tried several times before but gave up after a month or so every time.)

[uchenna & joyce] Thursday, May 12, 2005, 12:37 a.m. #793 Uchenna & Joyce won the Amazing Race! Among the 3 remaining teams (the runners-up Rob & Amber and Ron & Kelly), they're the most likeable, righteous and supportive of each other. Despite starting the last leg with no money at all (because of a flat tyre that made them last in a non-elimination leg) and having not devised a single evil plot throughout the race (Rob & Amber are surely going to face the consequences of their deeds after the race), they WON! Joyce didn't shave her head for nothing! They helped Meredith & Gretchen to move a heavy canoe out of goodwill in an earlier leg even when they were competitors; they insisted on paying the cab driver his full amount and spent several minutes begging along the road to pay him even when they were just a few steps away from the finish line and Rob & Amber were hot on their heels... Despite all the luck that Rob & Amber had throughout the race, all that was needed to lead Uchenna & Joyce to their victory at the last minute was a cab driver that understood Spanish - and that was all that mattered. The good people won! Yay!

[my new handmade violin] Tuesday, May 10, 2005, 09:27 p.m. #792 Invigilation at the hall. There was a bird that was trapped and couldn't find its way out. It kept circling the hall for whole two hours until we teachers were too tired trying to follow it and it disappeared when none of us was looking. Then there was a downpour. As students' bags were left along the corridors outside the hall, some of them became drenched when the storm splashed into the corridors. Azman and I then went into a frenzy trying to save the bags by shifting them to sheltered areas. The rain was so bad that some parts in the hall were even dripping through the ventilation windows at the roof and a few students had to be relocated to other seats. Think it's time the school does something to the hall. When it's hot, it's EXTREMELY hot and the ventilations are useless; When it rains, the ventilation windows leak. Duh. After invigilation, attended some unimportant but mandatory meetings, then rushed to Synwin to collect the handmade violin which Mr Foo reserved for me. Asked the Synwin guy to help me change to Thomastik Dominant strings and add fine tuners while I helped myself with the liuqin, zhongruan and guitar there. Suddenly there was a stir and I realised to my horror that the Synwin guy actually dropped and lost the peg to my A string. Grr. After getting everyone at the shop to find the lost peg to no avail, he had no choice but to replace it with another peg from another violin. The colour of this new peg is slightly different, so now I have one peg that looks different from the rest. Hmph. That aside, my new violin looks gorgeous (despite the peg)! Then rushed to my violin lesson. Used the new violin. Not accustomed to the fingerboard - seems the spacings between semitones are closer now. Hmm. Shall need some time to get used to it. Michelle said the sound of my violin is still very "raw" and I'll need to practise intensively on it for one month in order to get it seasoned. I wouldn't mind if I had the time. *Looks over to the unmarked exam papers*

[the buddhist lodge] Sunday, May 8, 2005, 07:58 p.m. #791 Mothers' Day. Went to 居士林 (Buddhist Lodge) with mum and sis to enjoy the free vegetarian lunch there. It's quite unimaginable that they actually offer free lunches EVERY DAY, and the dishes change every ten minutes (it has to be so because of the rate at which food disappears) - and these are made possible by volunteers who help out at the kitchen with no obligations at all (mum said she will come here to help to cut vegetables when she's older). The person who came up with the idiom about no free lunches surely didn't know this place. You may think that since the lunches are free, the dishes can't be too good - that's wrong! Besides the wide variety, the dishes were either average or above. The best part was the soup! Can't believe how a vegetarian soup could taste so nice. Lunches are not the only things that are free here. The lodge also has a free Chinese physician clinic. I guess all these really make people feel more willing to donate generously, cos the lodge does so many meaningful and charitable stuff in return for people's kindness and charity. There's also an open-air shrine on the fourth storey that has a scenic view and a gigantic 千面佛 in the centre. It was drizzling when we were there, and we could see clouds float by, as if we were at Genting (maybe because the PSI was too high). Unlike most temples that are usually choked with smoke, this place gives me a very serene feeling. If I live near, I'll definitely visit this place very often.

[demigods and cold jokes] Saturday, May 7, 2005, 10:59 p.m. #790 本来不想追看正在播放的中港台版本的《天龙八部》，毕竟原著已经读过数次，又觉得十几年前的香港版本实在刻骨铭心，再没有别的版本能够超越了。可是最近无意间看了几个片段，到底还是被它的故事、人物所吸引了。金庸的功力实在无法抵挡… 值得一题的，是王菲主唱的《宽恕》。原本觉得旋律古怪、听不出个所以然，后来听多了竟有了一些些感动，仿佛是歌颂乔峰英雄气概的悲歌。看着，听着，又让我有了重读原著的冲动。 康康在今天的《十字路口》一系列无厘头的冷笑话： 1. 什么动物最容易跌倒？ 2. 什么动物最喜欢吃鸡？ 3. 什么动物最喜欢露脸？ 4. 什么动物只有三寸？ 5. 什么动物最厉害？ 6. 痛恨胸部小的人（猜一政治人物）。 7. 西风吹（猜一政治人物）。 1. 狐狸，因为它最狡猾（脚滑） 2. 马，因为【马杀鸡】 3. 牛，因为【牛肉面（露面）】 4. 蛇，因为【三寸不烂之舌（蛇）】 5. 鼠，因为【叔叔（鼠鼠）有练过哦】 6. 邓（瞪）小平 7. 毛泽（折）东

[frozen] Saturday, May 7, 2005, 07:41 p.m. #789 Spent nearly a thousand dollars on luxury items within these two weeks - a handphone for dad, a blender for mum, and a new violin for myself. Shall self-freeze my bank account for the next few months.

[050505] Thursday, May 5, 2005, 11:04 p.m. #788 My Fedex parcel arrived! Nights of experimentation ahead. :p

[responsibly free] Wednesday, May 4, 2005, 10:06 p.m. #787 First the PSC scholar, then the threat of legal actions from A*STAR. Is it still defamation when the person was merely complaining about a system (like all subordinates do) and didn't have a malicious intent to defame? Blogs are meant for free expression, but only if it is responsible free expression? Right.

[gold with honours] Wednesday, May 4, 2005, 09:51 a.m. #786 Both Chinese Orchestras of my alma maters (TCHS and HCJC) won Gold with Honours in the recent SYF competition. HCCO was in fact the only JC CO that received that honorary award. Although I am not actively involved in the orchestras now, I feel proud and happy for them nonetheless. It's a good feeling to see passionate youngsters get rewarded and recognised for doing what they enjoy.

[michelle] Wednesday, May 4, 2005, 08:17 a.m. #785 Had a hearty talk with my violin teacher Michelle after my lesson last night. Talked about her babies, her past jobs (to list a few: bartender, lounge player, insurance agent) and her musical journey in piano and violin. She took only 4 years to attain violin grade 8! That is, she already had piano background before that. Also talked about her orchestral experiences, how she toured around to perform when she was younger (she's still young actually), and her feelings about being a violin teacher. Told her my musical aspirations and career plans. And she told me I didn't need many certs to start teaching violin. As long as I get grade 5 in theory and grade 7 or 8 in violin, I will be more than equipped to teach low-grade students. Hmm. Nice thought. Really don't mind teaching violin.

[the passing of our former president] Tuesday, May 3, 2005, 07:30 a.m. #784 The national anthem, which usually sounds majestic and proud, had the air of mourning and melancholy during flag-raising today with the heartwrenching violins. The minute of silence was even more grievingly poignant when it was observed in remembrance of Dr Wee Kim Wee.

[physics notes #1] Monday, May 2, 2005, 06:58 p.m. #783 Currently reading Five Easy Lessons - Strategies for Successful Physics Teaching by Randall D Knight. Some of his ideas are worth a try. Too bad I have already finished teaching the Physics syllabus this year. Shall try out these strategies next year if I am given Physics classes. Some notes to remind myself: 1) Simple reading quizzes (can be MCQ) before each chapter to ensure students read texts before lesson. 2) Case study questions for each block of related topics. Shall give out the list of problem-solving questions before starting each block so that students can learn with clear aims in mind. 3) Simple vector diagrams for velocity can be used to teach and explain acceleration and its direction, especially circular motion.

[reunion at waterfront] Monday, May 2, 2005, 12:37 a.m. #782 JC class reunion in the form of Lishan's wedding at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. Met up with Zhicheng, Ivan, etc (found that Ivan has 6 guitars in his room - 1 classical, 1 acoustic, 1 bass, 3 electric - *drools*). Everyone's pretty much the same - no signs of mid-age potbellies yet. Li Nanxing was there too - probably a distant relative or friend of the couple. Whenever he got up, all eyes in the ballroom would be on him. And I had the honour of being knocked at the back of my head by his elbow when he walked past my table (he muttered a little 'sorry'). -_-

[speech day] Sunday, May 1, 2005, 09:45 a.m. #781 Speech Day in the morning yesterday. I was in charge of students' attendance and discipline, and ushering of parents and special guests. It wasn't too bad compared to my duties last year when I had so much to handle as the backstage manager. After the event, as I had plenty of time to kill before my guitar lesson, Eileen offered to accompany me at TP Mall. Spent hours walking, went window-shopping, played a bit of arcade and had tea. Was unlucky enough to meet many of our students on our way and all of them had that kind of "Uh-huh! Caught you red-handed!" look when they saw Eileen and me together. We didn't bother to explain and just smiled. Was supposed to go for BH practice after my guitar lesson, but I was too tired to move, so I decided to stay at home and rest early. Age is catching up on me already...