Memoirs

Happy New Year =)

2009-01-17T19:36:00.002+08:00

Time flies... its year 2009 so soon.

How have you been doing?
Are you holding onto your resolutions ?

My resolution this year is to play an active role in the education of my baby girl who is learning things fast.

what about yours ?

That being said... there's one more weekend to Lunar New Year.
I havent yet been to chinatown... dont intend to be buying any plants or pussy willow honestly. Don't think I have the time to take care of it and at the same time, plants and baby dont mix.

I hope if I have more time I would update this blog more often.

till then...

Love
M

the HortPark

2008-06-12T11:57:00.002+08:00

It was fun trekking through the trees from alaexander all the way to Mt. FAber.

A little picture of our little family ^^

Everything is fine with us.
How was your holidays?

M

the long absence

2008-06-04T18:33:00.002+08:00

Dear All

sorry for the lack of updates.
Been very busy being a teacher, a mother to my baby, a wife to my hubby, a daughter to my parents and the eldest sister to my 2 other sisters.

For the june holidays, i only have this week and next week off. The following week I have to go back (the same for all other teachers in the "new" school) for meetings and remedials etc.

About Baby:
for the last 3 days I have been catching up with my baby. She has somewhat been neglected by me because during school days I am just so busy. However, I am not about to let this continue on. I promise I will spend more time with her.

It has been amazing 6 months so far. She has graduated from milk to now eating semi solid food like cereals. Soon she would be able to eat porridge and I am about to let her try eating fruits. She has learnt how to sit by herself although there are times when she will still fall.

About school:
I dont want to talk about school since its the holidays.. so there.. nothing about school oh perhaps just to let the pandan-ians know Ms. SAras is leaving the "new" school to go to another school far far away, like mrs. Loh.

About my holidays:
This year I would be spending my holidays in Singapore, unlike last year when I went for a holiday. I guess its good in a way, spend time with my family and doing some arts and crafts.

About my ex-students:
some student still write to me. Thank you very much for your letters and emails. I see some of them in the "new" school because they have siblings studying there. I am also glad that when there was an episode with some cyber spammer spamming a ex-pandanian's Cbox, her ex classmate went to her "rescue" That makes me so proud of you!

I enjoy knowing about your developments about your happy and unhappy moments. Because that's what make life unique to both you and me. If there are no unhappy moments, then you will never feel happy at all and you will never learn to appreciate the good things in life.

Just like the time when i lost my dog.
The cutie dog I posted the picture of. My heart still breaks when I think of him. I just hope that he is well and alive. If anyone seen him or know that he's with your friend, please contact me, I would very much want to get it back.

Thank you very much.

that's all for now.

Love,
M

Happy Chinese New Year 2008

2008-02-08T08:51:00.000+08:00

Hello hello

In the twinkling of an eye, the year 2007 is gone and we are already in the 2nd month of year 2008!

2007 has been a really busy, stressful year for it and it was also a fruitful year.

Busy and stressful because:
1. it was the year i got married. Wedding preparations really make you all strung up until the very day itself.

2. I was given a primary 6 class to teach English and they have loads of catching up to do before they could sit for the PSLE.

3. It was the year when I also became mother to my baby. The pregnancy was especially difficult in the first trimester. Anxiety attacks when the visit to doctor showed abnormality but all is well now. Thank God.

It was fruitful because:

1. The entire p6 class cleared their examinations. Nobody was retained. All my hardwork and working from 7am to 5.30 pm paid off.

2. Baby was borned and I have learned to understand baby's needs.

So there... that was what 2007 was to me.

In 2008, I will be teaching in another school, since my previous school has merged with this present one. I will return to teach in that school come 18th February, when my maternity leave is up. I hope this year will continue to be a good and fruitful year.

And I think the most exciting part of 2008 would be to see my baby learning new things.

Here's a picture of her..

And since today is the 2nd day of the CNY, here's wishing you
学业进步, 万事如意, 笑口常开!

Love M.

Announcing the arrival of my baby..

2007-12-08T17:28:00.000+08:00

I have become a mama! =)

2007-11-16T08:32:00.000+08:00

I'm just glad the school year has finally ended. Although there would be tons of non-teaching stuff to be done after this, im just so glad that i dont have to climb the many many flights of stairs to my teaching classes.

I need this much awaited break. I

do not get me wrong, I am not going anyway for vacation this year.. probably not for a while to come. But its good to finally take a breather from all the activities that has been on going in the school i am in.

Today also marks the day my school is officially closed and is to be merged with another neighbouring school. Although it is saddening, i am just too glad that the year has finally ended, too tired to realllly feel for the closing.

We have had 2 maddening days of rehearsals for the closing concert at the University Cultural Centre, on wednesday we left for home at only after 9 am and we were to assemble for more rehearsals at 8.30 am the next day.

ITs crazy... the schedules.. we worked from 8.30 am until about 6pm yesterday today its normal operating day again. I just wanna konk out the moment the last school bell rings.

I will miss my primary 2 class ...

2007-10-11T08:34:00.000+08:00

This is one very adorable class.

I teach them mathematics. I dont usually teach lower primary, this year was an exception. I had fun teaching them. Of course there are also exasperating moments since kids will be kids and there will be moments when they are mischevious.

Since it was nearing the end of the school term and we had a few minutes before the change over of classes, I took some pictures with thi bunch of kids.

I will miss them when the school merges next year.

Some pictures...

lazy day at home with my dog =)

2007-09-06T12:15:00.000+08:00

What do you do on a LAzy Thursday afternoon?
Housework - Since i have my own home now. Its sweep and mop and wipe and wash and scrub.
Since my doggy is bored when Im doing housework, its time to reward doggy with some fetch once you are done!

Look at my poor doggy

Happy 42nd Birthday, Singapore!

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

How did your school celebrate this day ?

Mine went pretty well... we did fabric of the nation, it was quite exciting to be honest and the drawing made me remember the nitty gritty that makes this place my home, my homeland the place where I truly belong.

The national day theme songs keep running through my mind the entire day... and I realised that we are really fortunate to have such talents writing thematic national day songs every year.

If you are interested to listen to these songs, go download them at www.ndp.org.sg, this is the same url that allows you to watch ndp "live" from your computer.

HAve fun!

With Love,
M.

Mid year Break

2007-05-28T10:48:00.000+08:00

Goodness gracious.. God knows I needed my Midyear break. However, here I am, in school doing work.

Many people have the mentality that being a teacher is all goodness. Long holidays, MArch, june, sept and december holidays but little do they all know we needed to come back during the holidays to slog it out.

So what do we do when we are in school during the holidays.

We have meetings, to set targets for the remaining school term. We have workshops. We have to do planning to meet the targets set. We have to source for materials for the rest of the school term. We have also to do stock taking for all the resources we used during the first part of the school term. After all these stock do belong to the government.

So you see... we have lots of stuff to do during the holidays.

And what students do during the holidays?

They go on holidays and they play play play play and play.

When they are back from their mid year break, they forgot how to add 1 + 1.

So what do teachers do again? Re teach and teach and scold and nag.
All for your own good.

Now I am feeling tired again at the mere prospect of having to re teach and teach and scold and nag all because students do not revise their work during the mid year break.

ITs a vicious cycle - you know?

I saw Jay Chou in Singapore!!

2007-03-16T10:23:00.000+08:00

go see its for real!!

Click here and

My very short trip to Batam, Indonesia

2007-03-13T17:02:00.000+08:00

The resort where I stayed in for 2 days.

Their facilities the swimming pool and some person officiating the water polo match between middle-aged uncles and aunties from Korea.

The sea view we had from outside the resort

the place where we had dinner at

Me trying to act cute for you

The trip to BAtam was free. I won it in a lucky draw.
I havent been to BAtam before and it was an eye opening experience.

the state of poverty in that part of indonesia was beyond my expectation, especially since it has been a tourist spot for some time now. I did not realised, that somewhere so near to us, only 45 minutes away from a ferry ride at the Harbourfront, was in such bad state!

the resort was the only place in the entire island that looks inhabitable to me!

It just made me feel that we are having it all too good in Singapore, we have come to take things for granted. For one, I am glad that although some parts of Singapore were affected by the recent quake in Indonesia, we werent the recipent of the wrath of the land gods.

We are lucky and today i read about the article about how help from singapore are often mis-given, to those who do not need it, to those who are not in dire need of such help, it just made me wonder why am I so lucky to be borned and bred in Singapore.

Where corruption has been nipped in the butt, where we have an efficient police force, where we can walk the streets without fearing there would be criminals hiding in some corner trying to rob me.

I surely must thank my lucky stars and I think you must do the same too.

Continuous assessments

2007-02-28T12:31:00.000+08:00

Its the continuous assessment week again!

Good luck to all pupils sitting for their CA! ESpecially so for my p6 English class!
I know you guys have been working reallllllly hard for this.
If you really paid attention and work hard, im sure you will pass!

So stay cool, study hard, not only for english but for math as well...

I'm sure you will get marvelous results =)

Love,
M

Annoucement announcement Hear all Hear All!

2007-02-23T16:27:00.000+08:00

I have just gotten married ;P

Happy New Year!

2007-02-20T17:07:00.000+08:00

Hello Everybody!

Happy New YEar!!!
Collect lots of angbaos!

and Save the money for rainy days!

Here's wishing all:
万事如意
步步高升!
学业进步!

With love,
Your teacher, M

Hamster cage and Accessories to give away

2007-01-31T21:19:00.000+08:00

My last hamster, has gone to heaven last weekend.

And because of this, I have an entire set of hamster cage and accessories to give away for free.
Let me know if you want them because I do not intend to be keeping anymore small animals for a long time to come.

So write to me and I will let you know when would be a convenient time to pass them to you.

ciao.
Michelle

Bad day... i'm burnt out!

2007-01-29T22:37:00.000+08:00

Today is really one bad day at work.

Teachers are humans, they have down days too.
Sometimes I really wonder why is it that we needed to take so much nonsense from our students.

Teachers come into the profession after gruelling and nerve wrecking interviews by a panel of principals.
If it weren't for the fact that we enjoy being in this profession, we wouldn't have embarked on this career and throwing away good careers and much better paying jobs in the private sector.

However, manyatimes, its the pupils whom the teacher is asked to take care of, that gives him/her tte most problems. Eventually these nonsense, together with unreasonable demands from parents as well as the ministry, tear dedicated teachers away from their calling because the emotional and physical stress is just too much.

right this moment, I am suffering from emotional abuse.
I think I am.

I had to take nonsense from an EM3 class for 3 straight periods today followed by another 2 periods with my p6 class, who totally detest studying.

I know it is too early to admit defeat. But if my soldiers have stopped fighting, can the captain win the war by herself?

Its plain timpossible!

why don't they get it?

eeps

2007-01-27T15:37:00.000+08:00

I havent been blogging yes i know.

Been busy, what is new?
Been sick, lost my voice for 2 days and those pupils I teach dont miss me during my absence.
*bangs wall* so cold hearted.

Right this moment, I am still nursing my bad throat and my cold. And I think its not easy to recover from the sickness because I am so stressed over so many things to be done and yet I only have 24 hours in a day like everybody else.

So have you been making sure that you did not waste time and spend each day wisely and fruitfully?

Oh.. just something to shout about.
My school won the soccer friendly yesterday with River Valley primary

Woohoo!
M

So there say ... it is interesting ..

2007-01-04T19:39:00.000+08:00

Today is the 2nd day of school and I started to scold students already.

I have never liked or enjoyed scolding students because I look ugly when i scold students - who doesn't right?

I simply cannot stop myself from hollering because the boys were really not serious about their work even though they are in primary 6.

I do not understand why it is so difficult to do work on time, promptly and seriously - isn't this the most basic of all instruction? I had even allowed them to choose their own groups.

To think I had actually set up a blog specially for this class with hopes of allowing them the responsibility of maintaining it by themselves. Using it as a guide for them to do homework, as well as a personal space to write what they wish to write to make English Language interesting and relevant to the real world.

It is really demoralising to actually have to scold them on the 2nd day of school when I think they can behave themselves better. I feel so much worse because all the hopes of trying to help them really went down the drain.

I am beginning to doubt if I ought to try so hard to help them, when they themselves do not appreciate what I am doing ...

Help me...

Merry christmas?

2006-12-28T16:39:00.000+08:00

How did you spend you Christmas Night?

I spend mine in agony... because i woke up retching viciously as if there's a porcupine dying to get out of my throat- that's how bad it felt.

Every time a motion of nausea overcomes me, its almost as if someone kicks me in the stomach causing my insides to hurl out weaklessly, without stopping until they are clear.

It was extremely tormenting that resulted in a 101$ visit to the hospital at 3 am in the morning. amazingly I stopped vomitting in the car, but i was waylaid by a severe bout of giddiness that had me slumping in the backseat for the entire trip. The moment I started to step into the hospital, the nausea came back again and I ended up vomitting all over the hospital - poor cleaners.

In the end, the doctor gave me a jab on the arm, 2 types of antibotics, 1 anti diarrhea and anti vomitting medication and lots of electroyle solution because i cannot even drink a sip of water without wanting to retch.

So that's how i spend my christmas nite, falling sick and sleeping the rest of the 2 days away.

I'm better now folks but gastric flu is nasty business.
dont ever fall as ill as me.

Take good care of yourself.

Have a wonderful new year!

omg!

2006-12-12T09:40:00.000+08:00

I just gotten my timetable for next year .. i'd be teaching p6s next year... gooooodnesss gracious!
another stressful year !

its probably more so next year because the school im with since this year is merging with another school in the vicinity.

We are planning a huge end of the year concert and i will be involved through all these preparation and managing my p6 class.

It will be our last year together with my other wonderful teachers. How sad!

I have never encountered such a fantastic bunch of workable colleagues in my entire working path so far and i will never forget how much joy and assistance they have given me when I first started out.

You can be sure I will miss them when school merge. Many colleagues are not going to be going to the merger school. So I guess, I will have to count my blessing if i could get into one school when I can see them all again.

The best part about working in this school?
I met up with my primary 6 form teacher again. =)

Dinner and Dance

2006-12-03T14:02:00.000+08:00

We had 2 dinner and Dance in the last 2 weeks.

One was the dinner and dance with MOE, and the other dinner and dance with the school

Some pictures.... I believe i managed to look quite presentable. What do you think?

(can you locate me?)

Wang's photos

2006-12-03T13:54:00.000+08:00

I promised to show Q some of my dog's photos, so here they are.. uncensored and hot off the camera! (taken only last afternoon)

Tada!

yoohoo!

2006-12-03T13:47:00.000+08:00

A student Q, talked to me on the msn today and it made me realised that there are alot of pupils like her who are actually wasting time during the school holidays.

On last Thursday, the entire school visited the Apple computer plant located in Ang Mo Kio and we were told the benefits of school internships.

What are school internships. It means working during the school holidays for a company. Working gives you insight of what the real world is all about.

when I was doing my a levels, I went to work for a japanese company. From that experience, it has taught me that, sometimes certificate matters really too much in our society.

and because everybody knows this, everybody is starting to upgrade themselves, studying for degrees, second degrees, post graduate degree, masters, even doctorate is so common these days.

So how do you give yourself leverage? How do you make others notice you because you are special?

you gain work experience. and how to gain the experience? By accumulating them when you have your school holidays.

Be it a Macdonald girl/ boy.... or even helping your parents do some simple typing. All these are skills that the school cannot teach you.

However, in singapore there are laws the prevent people from child labour. which means, it is an offence for pupils under 14 years of age to work. If found guilty of hiring such young chlid to work, the employer might even be jailed.

the purpose of this post is to tell you that you should not be wasting time doing nothing because you are going nowhere. Instead, think of creative ways of how you can engage yourself in meaningful task.

For Q, I think she can take to strumming her not so new acoustic guitar, compose a new song, so that she may perform once again when she is in secondary 1.

Good luck for PSLE!

2006-10-03T18:36:00.000+08:00

my dear p6 students,
tomorrow is the day you all have been working so hard for!

Good luck! but i guess if you have prepared well, which i believed you all have, you wouldn't need much of it!

Persevere!
your teacher,
M.

singapore idol finals

2006-10-02T16:15:00.000+08:00

So it was down to the final 2 contestants, Hardy Mirza and Jonathan Leong.

All of you should know by now that I support Jonathan and not Hardy. However, I feel that the result was just enough, and the fact that Jonathan did not win, I'm not too worried about it, cos during the finals, HArdy really did sing better than Jonathan Leong. Just compare the song written specially for the finalist you would have know the result.

Lately I have been pretty busy, with courses and what nots, I recently attended a course at the british council, it was pretty fun, and I think i might just apply what I learn during the course to my every day teaching.

On Children's day, teachers were made to perform. Dang! I was asked to sing a song together with the p4 teachers, cos im teaching 2 p4 class and 2 p6 class. It was a song that I know nothing about, Backstreet boys, " Shape of my heart" It was a little embarassing and also pretty hilarious experience. embarassing because Im singing a song from a boy band! *blush* hilarious because i think we all sang out of tune! haha! I think the children had a ball, but im not so sure about the teachers! Pity I did not take pictures, otherwise I would have post them up for all to see.

So with my previous batch of p6 students like reylyn and kok keong who have obviously remembered me and my funny stories during their health education lesson and kept in contact with me, how are the rest of my students coping with their secondary school life?

I think most of you ought to have settled in your school and made new friends. Are you lamenting about the lack of children's day holiday?

Let me know, write to me.
ciaoz!

bloggies!

2006-08-25T17:27:00.000+08:00

Erm.. i am feeling kind of flattered and slightly embarassed because I haven't been linking student's blogs to mine as they did me!

so here it is dear students,
thank you for still remembering me.

I am very touched.

I hope my students especially the loveable p6s, will do well for their examinations.
Which is as CYL tells me is less than 20 skudaes (schooldays) away.

Although you all remembered my existence, I think you have forgotten me visually.
Otherwise how can you explain the phenomenon that nobody comes up to me and greet me when they meet me outside?

I saw alot of students, they seemed all grown up. But they always treat me as if I am invisible and walk pass me. That kind of feeling very bad indeed.

I think these students probably do not recognise me especially since I have started to grow out my short hairdo. And now, I am sporting a curly hairdo. So that's probably the reason why?

I dont know but I give them the benefit of a doubt.

keep writing and keep staying in touch!
Love reading everything about you.

Whatdayou know?!

2006-08-25T11:45:00.000+08:00

Nurul Maideen was booted out last night - was it a surprise?

Of course, I agree with what Ken Lim says again about deserving final 6 and the dignified exit from the program.

While I do applaud Joachim Gomez's humility and ability to hold firm despite the criticisms for his performance ( I'm one of his harshest critic, I scream when I see that he is still in the contest, i shudder when he sings) i think the competition has fast become a nightmare for him the longer the stays in the competition.

Do you get what I mean?

each week, poor Joachim does his thing on the stage. How many of us thinks that his thing is really up to par? Despite all the judges having something not nice to say about his singing, he is stlil back week after week to face the humiliation of being humiliated time and time again by the criticism of the judges and homeviewers.

These homeviewers take their grouses to the gym, to the movies, to the coffeeshops and you hear them talk about Joachim being only good looking and not having the ability to sing and yet he's still in the competition.

If you are joachim, how would you feel?
The pressure from the criticisms and the commontalk is immense.
I'm sure he too feel that he should be voted out so that he can rest in peace, without having to go through the humiliation every time he is on the stage.

Yet his avid supporters are supporting him by voting for him parting with their dollars but in doing so he gets humiliated further?

We know, we have ears, we know that his ability to sing as compared to the rest who can, is as different as a chicken and a duck.

When we vote for him unthinkingly, are we actually torturing him?
Or are we really helping him?

If I were you, I probably not vote for him, so that he can be given a dignified exit.

Videos on demand - for free.

2006-08-19T11:15:00.000+08:00

For those of you who like me mised the performance on last Wednesday because you thought it was not wednesday yet.. here's my favourite contestant's video.

Thanks pearly for sharing the secret with me! =)

Enjoy!

Matilda was booted out ... was it a surprise ?

2006-08-19T10:52:00.000+08:00

A Long time ago, I told a friend of mine, the 2 older contestants will be voted out much sooner than the rest of the contestants.

Ken Lim, one of the judges of the competition, Singapore Idol 2, also mentioned during one of the shows that he hoped the 2 contestants Jay Lim and Matilda will get to stay longer in the competition because the 2 has got good singing techniques, which he hopes the others will learn from.

So, I would say that ken has already expected this elimination even though he wished for them to go further in the competition.

I knew these 2 contestants would be voted out not because they cannot sing well, but rather because they are older and do not appeal to the mass of people who are voting for them.

The age group of viewers who watch Singapore Idols are mostly people who are in the primary to the secondary school, thus it is no wonder that the older contestants often do not find themselves well favoured.

They are also booted out because they lacked the charisma on the telly.

Do you think that you were once touched by their performance or do you feel like it is just another person singing?

if one is a good singer, you will be able to sway the masses with your performance, electrifying or not.. you will be able do it with your delivery of the songs.

I felt the sense of lost and remorse when Jonathan Leong delivered, "Dance with my father" I was almost moved to tears - even though his pronouciation of certain words were muffled.

I felt the electricity when MAtilda delivered her song during the british songs week. I forgot the title but it was a truly diva-ish performance.

I do not feel this when JAsmine is singing, I do not feel this either when Jay Lim is singing. In fact, these days when I listen to Robbie william's Love supreme I shudder when I think of Jay's delivery of this same song.

I shudder when I hear the theme song of F.r.i.e.n.d.s being played on the radio because i cnanot forget the way Jochim Gomez sang the song.

Therefore, I think sometimes the audience who are watching and voting for their singapore idol are voting for them blindly rather than voting for them according to their talent.

If this goes on, I dread to see who will emerge winner of Singapore Idol 2.

singapore Idol - August week 2!

2006-08-17T16:57:00.000+08:00

Ugh~

I just realised this ... today is thursday.

due to my headache for the past 3 days and the hectic going ons in school. I so totally missed yesterday's performance! omg!

my favourite songs genre! so many smashing performance performances! And I missed them~!

Goodness gracious me!

I tried to watch them via the internet so that I would be able to make judgement on who will be out..... i couldn't find any!

help somebody?! Where can i go view the repeat of the spectaculars?!

*wails*

-------------------------------------------------
PSLE students:

i wish you all the best for your examinations, although it might really come in too late now, since 1/2 of you already sat for one paper today, well.. better late than never right!

Good luck! stay calm and cool!
You guys rock!

MM.

An unhappy day

2006-08-07T18:47:00.000+08:00

today is one tiring day... both physical and emotionally.

Physically because today's my school's PFT day. entire school was involved.

discipline problems also took its toll on me. I hate to waste time on discipline problems, but they are part of the job.

Its annoying when boys started to pretend that they are paul twohill and started to dress up their faces to look like him... that gothic look -- in school.

that's just not the way to be in schools.

why can't they get it?

It is frustrating and its driving teachers insane!

Reading blogs

2006-08-01T18:14:00.000+08:00

I have this fixation about reading blogs. I read them most loyally. When I have completed doing the stuff im supposed to be doing, I would be reading a blog. When I have got nothing to do, I would be online to read a blog. when I wake up and I fill empty inside out, I will read a blog.

blogs tell you so much about a person's perspective of life.
there are people who do up their blogs as a way of ranting.. dishing out anger at a targeted somebody, or a group of people. there are also blogs that I think teaches you how to sing because they regularly post up lyrics of a song, with no other explanation of whatsoever ...

I enjoy reading blogs with funny posts, blogs about daily lives, blogs that are reflective about what one person have done in the day or the past week/month.

Recently I read a very interesting blog of a celebrity to be, he is non-other than the singapore Idol contestant johnathan leong.

As all of you might have noticed, I do think very well of jonathan leong and I think he has got what it takes to be an idol.

Interestingly enough, he writes well, most suitably for a NUS Undergraduate. He talks about his childhood, who doesnt reminisce about one's childhood, its the best time of your life!

Today he talk about how he is not a morning person and he breaks many mugs until one fine day, his mom gave him a plastic cup.

I do think his mother has got loads of patience =)

his background is most ordinary, he is most humble and I think he rocks ;P

check out his blog here.

singapore Idol - 28 July

2006-07-27T18:04:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was jazz night!
By all that's holy! its my favourite music genre! (apart from rock of course! im a Rock Queen!)

I love the vocals from Nurul, Matilda, Jonathan and Jay. They sang songs that I too sag along. I agree with some of the judges's comments though. for instance, Kay can sing perfectly, too bad, he doesnt inject enough character into the song. Matilda too sang well, but she is missing the ooomph! factor for an idol. Nurul sang a lovely jass song that I thought she delivered pretty well but there were instances when she was clearly out of breathe. Therefore I agree with Jacinta that she ought not have sat on the chair. It constricts her air passage and restricts the movement of the diaphragm which is essential in good singing.

I did not think that Paul Twohill did particularly well yesterday. But he is still not the worse.

So I am guessing this week it would jasmine or emilee who would be voted out.
What say you?

Singapore Idol - my take...

2006-07-20T21:20:00.000+08:00

Do you watch the Singapore Idol ?

Frankly speaking being someone being musically inclined, I find that this season's idol contestants are just barely making the mark. And if you compare these contestants to those from American Idol, the original show that the Singapore Idol is based on, they probably can't even make it through to the audition rounds.

I seriously think that there are some contestants are worth staying and some should have long gone out.

Tonight's one of those surprise vote nights.

Gayle Nerva was voted out.
It surprised me because I think Gayle can really sing. Her nemesis was a song wrongly chosen.

Probably that say much about life too. One wrong choice and you are damned for life.
Such are cruel facts of reality. I digress... please excuse me.

Anyhow back to the idol competition, I think JAsmine should have been voted off long time ago, she can't sing and for the past 3 weeks I have watched, she's performing really badly!

NExt person to vote off probably would be Joakim Gomez. I mean please listen to how he sings and how he behave on the stage. Dick Lee called him a MONKEY! I really do not think that he can sing!

I know alot of people have been saying that JAsmine's pretty and Joakim's handsome, but you know this is a singing competition not ms. Singapore or Mr. Singapore, so .. I expect more vocal talents.

I dont know about you, but the people to watch I think would be Jonathan Leong, Paul Twohill, Rahimah...

What's your take?

2006-07-18T18:28:00.000+08:00

I'm teaching p4 science, so as part of the curriculum, we signed up with a company to bring us to labrador park to learn more about ephiphytic ferns/plants, seashore plants and seashore life.

It was fun, took some pictures.. enjoy ...

The guide with the group of pupils im in charge of.

Do you know the name of this ephiphytic fern ?

An image of a spider at its web with its prey... can you spot the spider eggs?

The fruit of the fish poison plant... looks like a lantern doesnt it ?

The buds of the fish poison plant

A parting shot of labrador park.

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whee! I have graduated once more!

2006-07-17T19:06:00.000+08:00

Yup, as most of you know, I left school to pursue studies and I have graduated once again!

It was cool, except that this time round, I did not get to wear the mortar board, my parents werent around.

the valendictorian was my classmate, so her heart flet speech on behalf of us really moved me. I shed tears at my 2nd graduation! something I did not do at my first!

This certificate is hard earned and the road to my future starts again from here...

Some photos as promised ...

Graduation

2006-07-04T18:32:00.000+08:00

next wednesday I would be wearing the graduation robes for the 2nd time of my life.
i'm graduating again! yay!

Photos coming up!

stay tuned!

Library visit yesterday ...

2006-06-01T11:12:00.000+08:00

I placed reservations for 2 books that are so popular, I can't ever get to see it sitting at the book shelves of the National Library.

Just as I was queuing up for to collect the books, I met 2 ex-students from QiFa!
I was so happy to know that they still remembered me and say "Hi!"

In case you did not know... from the 27th May until the 7th of July (please check for I might have gotten the dates wrong...) the National Library Board allows all Library members to double up their borrowing. Which goes to say, if you used to be able to borrow only 4 books, you may borrow up to 8 books now. The same goes for the premium membership if you could borrow 8 books, you may borrow up to 16 books now.

More details here

I lugged home 8 books last afternoon.

Have you read a book today?

Due to popular demand.. how to make your own blog.

2006-05-03T12:20:00.000+08:00

It is really simple to make your own blog really.
so this is what you will need to do

Step 1:Go to www.blogger.com
Register for a blog here, follow the instructions.

Step 2: Choose your web address.
Mine is www.dailydingdongs.blogspot.com
yours could be www.dingdongbells.blogspot.com
;P

Step 3: Go to posting
Click on the tab "create"
You will see a screen that looks very much like MS word.
Just type in your blog entry.

Step 4: Click on "publish".
Your blog entry will be published at the address you have chosen.

To view your blog, click on view blog.
Voila!

You have got a blog!

What's up everybody?

2006-04-25T11:18:00.000+08:00

Its the time of the year again... the first of all major examinations. The Semestral Assessment I is nearing yet again.

How have all of you been revising for your examinations?
I wish you all the luck you need in order to finish revising so as to prepare for the impending examinations.

However, if you have been very diligent since the beginning of the year, by diligent I meant revising and doing your homework promptly after each and every lesson, then you should have nothing to fear.

Nonetheless, my dear pupils... good luck for the examinations =)

Going back to school to teach ..

2006-02-03T19:38:00.000+08:00

Dear boys and girls,

I have just been informed that, im going to another school to teach *which is a stone throw away from where i live* im not going back to qfss.

So sad!
I have had hopes of seeing all of you again but but but ..... =~~(

Miss Zeng (she used to teach 3D), Mrs. Ang (she used to teach 3F), Mr. Lam (taught 3C and 5D)and my good friend Ms. Tan, who used to teach 5B Engish and maths and some music would be going back to qfss.

another 2 teachers teaching chinese language would be joining QfPs on the 20th February.

*Wails*

I will miss all of you ... *sniffs*

2006-01-26T10:00:00.000+08:00

It is that time of the year again... when good ol' chinatown is bustling with activities and throngs and throngs of people queuing up to buy BahGua (bbq pork) and other chinese new year goodies.

I went there last week just to fill the atmosphere of Spring beckoning and took some pictures.
I was reminded of the time when i went there with 6F for their social studies excurision.

did you go to chinatown recently?

some pictures...

At this note, I would like to wish all my students a Happy and Properous chinese New Year!

恭喜发财, 万事如意, 事事顺利, 步步高升, 恭喜恭喜!

I need some help - URGENT!

2006-01-12T20:04:00.000+08:00

for those students who check in this site I need a favour from you.

I need some of your old primary textbooks.
If you could give me textbooks from primary 3,4,5 and 6.

Please email me or msn me =)

Thanks!

Happy new year!

2006-01-12T19:57:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year my dear Ex-students!

Its been such a long time since i last blogged - I am so sorry.
Been busy, and sat for my exams too.

Anyhow, to those of my ex-students going on to their secondary school journey, very good luck to you. MAke the most of your friendships and new friendships forged during this process, many of those you know now, might be your life long friends. Treausre these memorable times together!

I often look back at my secondary school days and relished the good times I have shared with my friends.

Those of you who are in primary 5 this year, please work hard. This is because it is going to be a important year, for you are paving your way towards the PSLE! Listen to your teachers, work diligently and you would find that your next year would be a breeze for you for it would just be like revision =)

Those of you who are in primary 4 this year, please also work hard. This is because, you are sitting for your streaming exams and you would be banded according to how well you have done for your exams! Dont be complacent!

And finally, the primary 5 last year who are the PSLE cohort this year, work hard! Listen to your teachers! Must be diligent! PSLE is the start of one of the many road you would have to undertake in your study career! MAke the most of it! Do not have any room for regrets =)

Good luck everybody.

Study hard and you might really see me soon =)

Rediscover Singapore

2005-11-23T14:34:00.000+08:00

As part of our history lesson thingie, we had to re-discover Singapore. for the past two weeks, we have been going to different places in Singapore and perhaps it was my love for photography, I thought I have some pretty beautiful pictures to share.

We went to Kranji War Memorial and this is the second time I have been here...

The entrance of the memorial, where those who fought bravely for Singapore died and are commemorated until today. Religious service are often being given at this site, at the requests of the relatives of those brave ones who sacrificed themselves.

One could take a peek at the memorial service book that's a sign-in guestbook for all those who visited here. Upon closer inspection, we realised great grand children of some of the people who died here, actualy visited the graves and displayed knick knacks in front of their tombstones.

tombstones are aligned in straight lines, different symbols are being engraved on their tombstones, signifying their rank, their religions etc.

Those tombstones laid out in rows greeting the main entrance are usually tombstones of the allied forces.

That's the cross of sacrifice but until today i dont know its significance.

Inscriptions commemorating the Gurhkas wh ofought bravely for the us.

that's the tombstone of one of our ex-presidents, Yusok Ishak at the presidents burial ground.

My long absence

2005-11-13T12:23:00.000+08:00

Dear people, Im sorry for not having written earlier. Been really busy. But my holidays starts officially this week! yay!

Might stop by school... keep an eye out for me =)

Railway station

2005-10-21T11:03:00.000+08:00

Hello everybody, its been such a long time since I last added an entry. Been really busy. I cant write for a long time so I have attached some pictures for your pleasant viewing.

I brought some of my classmates to the railway station yesterday for an excursion and its been a really fruitful trip.

Have you sat on a train before?

.

Happy Children's Day!

2005-09-29T19:11:00.000+08:00

Hello everybody!

Tomorrow must be the happiest day of your life - each year (perhaps with the exception of your birthday?)

So what big day is tomorrow?
It is Children's day!

Oh my goodness, its been such a long time since I last celebrated Children's day! It makes me feel so old!

So maybe some of you would like to email me and tell me what do you like most about children's day? SEnd me an email =)

Have fun!

Love, MM

Contentment

2005-09-28T20:13:00.000+08:00

Disclaimer:
This piece of writing is not written personally by me. However, the original writer is unknown. If anybody do know who the original writer is, I would gladly credit him for this piece of writing
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONTENTMENT

Have you ever, at any one time, had the feeling that life is bad,
real bad, and you wish you were in another situation?

You find life make things difficult for you, work sucks, life
sucks, everything seems to go wrong...

Read the following story... it may change your views about life:
After a conversation with one of my friends, he told me
despite taking 2 jobs, he brings back barely above 1K per month,
he is happy as he is.

I wonder how he can be as happy as he is considering he has to
skimp his life with the low pay to support a pair of old
parents, in-laws, a wife, 2 daughters and the many bills of a
household.

He explained that it was through one incident that he saw in
India ... that happened a few years ago when he was really
feeling low and touring India after a major setback.

He said that right in front of his very eyes he saw an Indian
mother chop off her child's right hand with a chopper. The
helplessness in the mother's eyes, the scream of pain from the
innocent 4-year-old child haunted him until today.

You may ask why did the mother do so; had the child been naughty,
had the child's hand been infected?? No, it was done
for two simple words- - -TO BEG!

The desperate mother deliberately caused the child to be
handicapped so that the child could go out to the streets to beg.

Taken aback by the scene, he dropped a piece of bread he was
eating half-way. And almost instantly, a flock 5 or 6
children swamped towards this small p! iece of bread which was
covered with sand, robbing bits from one another. The
natural reaction of hunger.

Stricken by the happenings, he instructed his guide to drive him
to the nearest bakery. He arrived at two bakeries and
bought every single loaf of bread he found in the bakeries. The
owner was dumbfounded but willingly sold everything. He
spent less than $100 to obtain about 400 loaves of bread (this is
less than $0.25 per loaf) and spent another $100 to get daily
necessities.

Off he went in the truck full of bread into the streets. As he
distributed the bread and necessities to the children (mostly
handicapped) and a few adults, he received cheers and bows from
these unfortunate. For the first time in his life he
wondered how people can give up their dignity for a loaf of bread
which cost less than $0.25.

He began to tell himself how fortunate he is. How fortunate he is
to be able to have a complete body, have a jo! b, have a
family, have the chance to complain what food is nice and what
isn't nice, have the chance to be clothed, have the many
things that these people in front of him are deprived of...

Now I begin to think and feel it, too! Was my life really that
bad? Perhaps... no, I should not feel bad at all... What about
you? Maybe the next time you think you are, think about the child
who lost one hand to beg on the streets.

"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, it is the
realization of how much you already have."

When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times
we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the
one which has been opened for us.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but
it's also true that! we don't know what we've been missing
until it arrives.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of
everything; they just make the most of everything that comes
along their way.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past,you
can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures
and heartaches.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lesson to be learnt

2005-09-07T16:42:00.000+08:00

I have been really busy lately, despite so, an incident I witnessed on my way home from school prompts me to write this blog entry.

I was on the bus home from school at about 4 pm when the bus stopped at a T junction. A boy with his brother and or friends were about to cross the road.

The red man was lighted. When the red man is lighted, the logical thing to do is to wait for the green man before you cross the road right?

But the little boy ran with all his might towards the other side of the road.
There was two cars at the junction and was about to drive off at the traffic junction when the boy ran across the road.

He was nearly knocked down by the two cars and as a result, he dropped his slipper in the middle of the road.

Guess what he did?

He saw that his slipper was in the middle of the road, and he ran towards the middle of the road again to retrieve the slipper he dropped.

Isn't that a very dangerous thing to do?

Why do you have to dash across the road when you can just wait for a little longer before the green man would be lighted and you are safe to cross the road?!

If the drivers of the two cars are the junction were not alert and decided to drive off without noticing that the boy was dashing across the traffic junction, what would have happened to the boy?

He probably would have been knocked down by the cars and he probably would not survive the accident.

Think of how your parents would feel when you are involved in such accidents?
It is not easy to deal with such traumatic event.

Remember the other time I told you about my hamster who passed away? I only had the hamster for a short time and I was already so emotionally attached to the hamster. Your parent have had your company for such a long time and if something bad really happens to you, they would have been devastated!

Please take care when crossing the road. And I do know I sound like a nag when I write this entry but I really do not wish to see reports of my student involved in such accidents!

I know its the holidays now, and alot of you are venturing outside the house to the library or to watch sharkboy and lava girl.

If you do not wish your parents to stop you from going out with your friends, it is of extreme importance that you learn how to take care of yourself.

And knowing how to cross the road is the most basic thing you must learn to do.

Happy Teachers' day!

2005-09-01T17:51:00.000+08:00

I was just wondering why are there so many children out on the streets today when I went to school.

then I suddenly remembered, Teachers' day is a school holiday.
so where have you all been today?

Happy Teachers' Day to me!
I received some greetings from my children ni 5E. so sweet of them, both girls.

Made my day!

A picture of the tutorial room

2005-08-18T20:22:00.000+08:00

Dear all, as promised, here is a photograph of our classroom. We change rooms every period. This is what we call a TUTORIAL ROOM. It is the place where a small group of us gather together in a room to ask our teachers (we call them TUTORS) questions and we do group work here.

.

As you can see, a tutorial room is much much smaller than a LECTURE HALL.

Ah more photos of my school!

2005-08-18T20:17:00.000+08:00

Dear all as promised, more photos of my very big school!

2005-08-14T15:06:00.000+08:00

Picture of at the top of the long stairway to the bus stop home, 1/2 way down and still a long way to go. School is situated at the top of a hill, after you have finished climbing up the stairs, you would see the really huge campus. My pink waterbottle, that the QFPS teachers gave me, my spectacles that changes color when its in the bright sun.

Sad day today .... sniff

2005-08-12T18:29:00.000+08:00

Today I only had afternoon lessons.
When I took the bus to school, I saw a student on the bus. I smiled at her and she smiled back. It was nice to see students after such a long time... I miss teaching!!

When she alighted, she said cheerfully at the door "Bye Miss Mok!" and I waved. It felt so goood!

Then when I was in school, I met a teacher from that same school after I climbed many flights of stairs. I was breathless, did not called him but gave him a pat on the shoulder and waved "hi".

Did not stopped to chat, because I was on my way for my lessons at 2.30pm. I promised I will call him.

So you wonder, what makes today a sad day?
Is it because I miss teaching? nope
Is it because I did not get to talk to the teacher? nope

so why am i sad you wonder?

Let me tell you.
When I reached home today, I was surprised to find my friendly roborsvski hamster sleeping each at one end of the tank. Weird, because they are sisters and they always sleep with each other, huddled together.

Upon closer inspection.. I realised.. the hamster is dead! *wails*
So sad... it was already stiff and its still in the huddled position, eyes closed, sleeping.

I hope it did not hurt too much, it probably died in the sleep, probably painless. But why did it die?

I saw it running before i went to school! Why why why?

I'm so sad.

National Day Celebrations

2005-08-08T16:26:00.000+08:00

Early in the morning, I saw children going to school wearing the colors red and white. Did my students go to school today in red and white too?

National Day is something to look forward to every year. Apart from school concerts and the fact that you dont have to study on National Day Eve, you get an additional holiday from it too!

What's more, every student would be given a momento for National Day. Today I saw students going home from school with a pictorial book of Singapore's History. It must be an expensive book. I hope you will keep it properly, so that in the years to come, you would have something to show to your children when you have them =)

During my years as a student, I did not receive such expensive presents on National Day. The most I remembered of my National Day presents from the school was a book mark. And that's was all.

Therefore, I hope also that you will find the book you have in your hands now a treasure rather than just another book.

However, I love National Day not only for the presents I will get to receive but also it is my Nation's birthday.

This year, it marked the 40th birthday of my country's independence. We have ruled by ourselves for 40 great years. And we have come a long way from we were before.

These days, it is not uncommon for Singaporeans to know how to use a computer. In fact, in some kindergartens, they started to teach using computers already!

During my time, the frist computer I have got are the Apple Macintosh ones, whereby the screen is only black and green in color. I had the chance of playing some games like Dig Dug, Karate, Kamikaze and Pac-man.

Today, we play graphic intensive computer games that require you to upgrade your graphic card before you can play the game. If you are playing an interactive game, you must first get yourself a reliable internet connection otherwise you would lag behind the other players!

Perhaps it is because we have things too easy now, we never had to really work very hard for it, therefore we never treasure what we have.

When I went to a P5 camp this year in june, I saw a student wearing a particularly nice pair of shoes when we were about to go to the beach for our rafting exercise. I mentioned to her that her shoes were too nice to be spoiled by the seawater, she promptly replied me, "Its an old pair of shoes, if it is spoiled I can always ask my parents to buy me another one".

I find this behaviour appalling. Dont anybody have a sense of thriftiness now ? NO doubt it is an old pair of shoes, but there's no holes on it, it still looked so new and trendy, why spoil it? I am sure that pair of nice shoes she wore to the beach that day, costs more than a pair of Bata shoes - Shoes I used to wear to school when I was studying. Even so, I dont change my Bata Shoes, unless I wore out the sole ( that is, there is a hole in the sole) or there is a hole near my big toe.

Always remember, what we have now, we did not use to have before. Think it this way, if you weren't lucky enough to be borne a singapore citizen, but was borned a citizen of a third world country like in Africa, do you think you would still get to enjoy all these luxury items like the computers or even an additional pair of shoes?

I am always thankful of the fact that Singapore is my homeland, a place where I grew up in, a place where there is no war, there is no corruption, no major natural disaster and we have everything we need to get by our lives with.

Are you as glad as I am that I am a Singaporean?

2005-08-06T11:44:00.000+08:00

Dear All,

I have to repeat that i do not have time to teach you how to do you up your blog.
Because I am dead busy, and I have to set my priorities right. Although I would very much like to help you, but I cannot because I have so many things to do and if I were to entertain the 10 or so requests to do up their blog everyday, where's my time to finish my own work?

Like you I have only 24 hours a day! and already i dont think it is enough for me to complete my work! How do I find time to help you?

Please also bear in mind that what I am doing now is not degree studies, it is post graduate studies which is something higher than a degree and things are tough going.

this is also the reason why I have changed my blog template.
I dont care if the template is ugly.
I dont care if you think it is boring.
The blog is there to keep in touch with students who are interested to know how I am doing.

I will not repeat again that I am not going to help anybody do up their blog, because it seems that no matter how many times I repeat there are still bound to be people who are asking me the same question over and over again.

It gets really irritating.

National Day Celebrations

2005-08-05T13:59:00.000+08:00

Dearest children,

I mentioned to some that I might be able to turn up for National Day Celebration Back in school some time ago. However, my timetable does not allow me to show up on that day.

I am sorry, I cannot attend the National Day Celebration in the school.
=/

Going to be very busy

2005-07-29T21:46:00.000+08:00

I am going to be real busy soon. Assignments (homework) have been given, there's tons of textbooks to be purchased, lots of things to do. In 6 weeks, we finish learning 6 modules only to take on another 6 modules(subjects). ITs going to be really tiring.

As such, I will not have time to entertain requests to help you fix up your blogs, neither do I have time to teach you how to start your own blog. My apologies.

I do not have the luxury of time now on my side, for I have started on my course and I intend to finish it.

Please ask those students whom I have already taught or have learnt it themselves to help you.

I'm glad to see more children fixing up their own blogs. But they need to maintain it regularly otherwise it would just be another abandoned incomplete project.

however, I will make sure I check on this site once in a while and at the same time do some updates.

So everybody reading this, take care of yourself, be good and study hard!

Till we next meet again.

NTU - My school

2005-07-29T11:25:00.000+08:00

The Entrance that greets you upon your entrance.

The Long winding roads, NTU is a huge place

Hostels are homes for students who stay too far away from school or are foreigners studying in NTU.

A lecture hall with many many students waiting for our lecturer.

Some word guides

2005-07-27T13:03:00.000+08:00

In case there are some people who still do not know, I have left teaching to go studying.. here it is again.

I am now a student!

And here are some references for you in case you do not understand why i use such words.

Lecture hall is a place in which all the students taking that subject have to go listen to what their teacher is teaching on a particular day. Usually our teachers are called lecturers, because they give a lecture.

Then we have tutors.
Tutors are teachers who teach you in the classroom. And in this case this class room is called a tutorial room and we dont say lessons, we say we are having tutorials. We usually ask our tutors all the questions we have on the particular topic if we have any, and he or she will help us sort things out.

in a lecture hall, there can be a few hundred students. In a tutorial room, there are usually only 10 or more.

This change in the names of the classrooms will come about in your life, when you are in Junior College or Polytechnics.

So are you ready for this change?

Busy day!

2005-07-26T21:39:00.000+08:00

Was supposed to help out with one student's blog design first, but was pulled into another because the layout was too messy. glad I hae sorted things out and its much prettier now. however I do not know if she prefer it to be colorful as it is now.

Okie.. let me get round to the other one.. before I get chased at.

By the way, if you can read me at this time of the night, tomorrow I might be going back to school to get tie up some loose ends.

See if you can see me tomorrow!

My first day of lessons

2005-07-26T17:45:00.000+08:00

Dearest all, as promised, here are some pictures of the campus.. did not take much pictures because camera was low on battery and I just dont have the mood to take so many. Enjoy.. you might see some familiar faces...

The Canteen, more seats on level two.

Picture showing you part of the campus

Friends and fellow schoolmates at the campus grounds, on our way to lecture.

Am sick

2005-07-25T14:17:00.000+08:00

Am sick with the much dreaded flu virus and is given 2 days of Medical Leave to recuperate. Please take care of yourself and dont fall sick like I did. Especially the primary 6s, because your oral exams are just round the corner!

It just seems weird to be home, when it is 7.20 in the morning. All of you must be in your respective assembly areas already, singing the national anthem.

It feels so weird, with nothing to do, just sitting around the house, idling and looking at the time passing and eating your medication.

So, what I have done is reloaded all photos and did some fine tuning of this site.

I still owe somebody some tuning of his blog.
guess I had better go do it now...

Racial harmony day photographs

2005-07-25T12:51:00.000+08:00

Recorder recital from the primary 5s

Choir girls singing in their sweetest voices...

Indian Dance, very colorful!

ah.. who is not paying attention?

Forgiveness

2005-07-24T19:11:00.000+08:00

The student who caused me much distress over the weekend has finally sent me an email apology today.

I forgave him.

Reuploading the photos

2005-07-24T13:31:00.000+08:00

This latest change in how my blog looks is very rejuvenating!

I feel good about it, I hope you also enjoy coming to this site. I have yet to receive my apology from that student in 5E.

However, I shall not deprive my other faithful readers of my blog to not see photos, thus, I shall post them up somewhere else, where you cannot download them at all unless you are my invited guest. =)

I will be a little slow in the uploading because I have to repost all the photos.
Also, I am sick with the flu bug, keep sneezing and coughing and have a really bad sore throat - I have yet to see the doctor =/. (anyone wants to bring me to the doctor?! =~(

So please bear with me.

To all those who are relatively new to my blog,
a very warm welcome to all of you.

My blog did not used to look like this. Most of you might have seen how it looked like before. A student made me angry and I deleted all the picture post. And everytime I look at the blog, it looked so bare, so i decided to do something different yesterday by giving it a new look - even my tag board has got a different color!

In case you are unsure as to how to navigate about my site.
The "bigger box" shoes content of the blog. That is my updates and stories.

In the box marked "4eva friends", you would see my tagboard and links to other blogs made by students. In this box in the near future, I might also include a photo preview. Because this box is small, much of the contents are hidden. To view them, click your mouse over to the black arrow buttons and scroll downwards. This way, you wont miss out on any thing.

Tomorrow is my first day of school and I think I am going to miss it because I have fallen sick. =/

So sad...

2005-07-22T17:45:00.000+08:00

Hello dearest children.....

Sorry if you are disappointed with this blank page.
I have saved all my entries and will only post it up when I get my apology from that person who made me very angry...

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

i am mad

2005-07-22T16:34:00.000+08:00

Immediately after I have posted the entry about my last day, I got very mad at one of the supposedly good student.

Why you ask?

This person come from the best primary 5 class. He stole all the pictures from my blog before. He took the pictures of all of my dogs and I did scold him once about it. And he took it without asking. This I consider it to be very rude. It is like me being slapped on the face, and after that you smile sweetly at me and say do you like it?

Today I saw that he has stole pictures I have taken of students sitting for their Physical Fitness Test. I told him that I am not happy about it, and he is unremorseful, unrepentant.

It made me extremely irritated.

If you want something, ask for it. If I did not give you the permission to do anything, you dont do it and tell me "silence for so long means consent."

I told him that I am disappointed by his lack of manners. Dont you think that he is really lacking in manners?! why is it so difficult for you to ask? If you do, I would gladly give u the permission, I might even save it on a diskette for you.

Do you know what is called intellectual rights ? By stealing my pictures without asking me for it, is akin to a crime that is punishable by law.

Until he apologises to me, I am sorry my dear readers, there shall not be any more pictures posted here for your viewing pleasure.

Not happy about it, blame it on him.

My last day is also Racial Harmony Day Celebrations

2005-07-22T16:06:00.000+08:00

Last day already - part relieved, part sad, part excited.
Relieved because I dont have to worry about marking anymore books.
Sad because I cannot bear to leave
Excited because I am going to start School on monday!

I will post the photos taken of the Racial Harmony day in another post. And if you find the photos you see here familiar that's because I also took for the school And if anybody asked, you see it here on my blog first! hehe!

I hope you enjoyed today. I enjoyed mine =)

Physical fitness Test

2005-07-21T17:09:00.000+08:00

Photos photos... are you one of the many I photographed yesterday?

children doing sit-ups.

Whoa! Superman! see how he "fly"!!!

Someone at the sit and reach station... stretch somemore!!!

Ah... this is shuttle run, I thought this was a nice angle, it captured the precise moment of a child getting her bean bag.. i loved this picture!

Teachers at the shuttle run pitstop, all busy and burnt by the scorching hot afternoon sun.

Isn't it obvious which teacher is the children's favorite?

Teachers busy at the 1.6/2.4Km run. One of the teachers caught me sneakily taking pictures of busy them.

Girls doing their best to last through the run. Look at their determined faces... Good work ladies!

Ah.. look at boy number 1 in the picture.. giving up already...

the partners of the runners who are supposed to keep track of how many rounds their runners have done by issuing rubber bands and sash accordingly.

Do you think they realise they look like cheerleaders actually ? *giggles*

The baby hamsters

2005-07-21T09:10:00.000+08:00

I have given out 2 of the baby hamsters yesterday. I am giving away another two today.

These two other hamsters have been living in the teachers' room last night. I hope they weren't up to any mischief. For if they were, I probably would get into trouble.

The 2 students who received the hamsters from me, I hope you treat them well and if you have any questions regarding them, you can always approach me for answers. I will try my best to answer you =)

2 more days to go... and I have got lots to say...

2005-07-20T20:44:00.000+08:00

Im counting the days left in the school with a heavy heart. As much as I would like to stay on and be in the company of children, I can't. I have to go and complete my course and then return to the education system in a year's time.

I have wonderful colleagues, they are helpful and they have been extremely kind to me during my stay here - for that I am very grateful.

I have been told some children are actually angry that I am going. But children, do know that all teachers have to undergo training or be away from school for a period of time. We can't help it. All teachers have such obligations to fulfil. Full pledged teachers have all their teaching duties, as well as administrative work to do. In addition to playing the role of mentor to the children, we also have to fulfil our quota of courses to attend in a year. This way, teachers would be kept up to date with what is the latest requirements and developments in the education system.

Ultimately, its our students who would benefit from our courses.

Photo-taking Day
On Monday, the entire school took class photographs. *sigh* I did not managed to take with 3C. Not that I dont want to - Its probably I was not invited, and also I was doing relief with one of the primary 4 classes. If the present form teacher of my former class did not invite me to take photographs with my 4B, I probably wouldnt have taken with my class, even though I would love to have my photographs taken with them. In fact, if I have had my way, I would have taken photographs with all the classes I have taught since 7 months ago. (That would be 17 classes out of the total of 22 classes in the morning session!)

I can't wait for the photographs to come back to the school, but that would probably take about 3 to 4 weeks. I have placed my order and I am awaiting very impatiently for them!

Why always mention 3C?
Some people might ask me also, why the frequent mention of 3C? But no mention of 4B ? My students from 4B are actually a very diverse lot. We have the extremely mischevious ones to the really hardworking and obedient ones. They are much more independent than the primary 3s. However, theyare also more reserved when showing their feelings. I do not know if they welcome me back into their lives. ( Although I do pray very hard that they do.)

I do know 5A loves to have me back in their classrooms, I have taken them through some lessons this semester and I do detect their interests in my lessons. Thank you very much! You have been a joy to teach too!

P6D also have been a joy to be with last week, even though they still make noise, but are more cooperative. Thank you for making my last few days in school very memorable. Study hard and good luck for your PSLE.

I have also made some friends in P6A, many of whom are very talented but they dont know it.

My 53sb tamil students who have taught me how to write my name in Tamil - Thank you so much too! It was a really enjoyable 2 periods with you.

My dear primary 4s, if you are reading this, please work very hard because this coming CA2 and SA2 determines which class you would go next year - this is very important because it is the beginning of the many roads you would have to take in your life.

Same goes to all my p6s, because some roads have no u-turns, therefore you cannot afford to make mistakes.

Physical Fitness Test
Today was the first day of the physical fitness test. It has been a really long day indeed. Actually the last thing I wanted to do was to start blogging. BUt I was afraid if i do not put my thoughts into words now, I probably would not managed to put such thoughts into words the next time.

I have taken some photographs of the action for day 1. The 5 stations and the 1.6Km test. In fact, I only returned home at 6.15pm today. It has been a really long 13 hour work day. ( And you think teaching is easy?! *grin*)

HOwever, I am not able to post the photographs up yet because my camera's battery is flat again. I will post them up tomorrow.

I was put in charge of the primary 6s' 1.6km run. Some of them have very good endurance, some of them run of out battery after 2 rounds (because they ran as if they were in the Olympics in the first 2 rounds!)

When I was in school, I have always attain GOLD award for all my Physical Fitness Test.

Share some tips with you?

Inflex arm hang - Always help your mother do housework or carry marketing from the market. They are so demanding on your arms, you develop muscles, inflex arm hang 20 times definitely no problem!!
Sit and Reach - this one the trick to it is to do proper stretching exercises before the test. Also if you do simple stretching exercises daily, you would see much more improvements soon. Therefore those of you who have yet to take your 5 station test, start doing your stretching exercises now!
Sit-ups - Ah.. my favourite! Because I could easily surpass the gold requirements for the boys. I guess most children shouldnt have problem with this. But if you do, I think it is too late to buck up now. You dont want to hurt your stomach muscles before the test do you?
1.6/2.4km run - Trick to it is practise hard during your pe lessons. Do the warm up rounds faithfully. You would train up your stamina for the actual test. Also, conserve your energy in the first few rounds. Never use up all energy by sprinting your friend to the finish line when it is only the 1st round. You only start to run fast when it is the last round.
Standing broad jump - Trick to it is to swing your arms and your body to gain momentum for your jump. The swinging is especially important. If you get it right, reaching the required distance is " chicken feet " =P

PArent visits
A parent also told me he viewed my blog this morning while i was just outside of the school. *laughs and waves* A very big hello to all parents who happened to stumble on my blog while you supervise your children. I know it is inevitable for parents to stumble upon my blog by hook or by crook... though I tryto keep it low profile. But you know children being children, they will start passing the word around, even though I told them to be quiet about it initially.

My plea
Do note that this blog's content is made suitable for children, however do allow me the indulgence of not checking my grammar and do allow me the space to make typo errors. Many a times, I typed when I am really tired after a hard day's work. But if i have started on something, I would like to keep at it. Therefore, no matter how tired I am, if there has been some interesting bits I would like to blog about I would definitely blog about it and then go to bed.

Then there are also occurances when I am blogging my entry, my children would beep me on their instant messenger and I would get distracted by them and therefore write incoherently.

And since this is a very informal medium I would like to keep the tone of it informal else it would be too dry for the children. ( For example, this entry is too dry for the children, probably many of them would just scroll to the previous entries where there are lots of photographs.)

My last excursion
Ok last but not least, I would be going on my last excursion with the children tomorrow. Thus I would need to go recuperate and conserve energy for tomorrow's long day out with the P5s to the Science Centre.

Will you be there with me?

Hamsters for adoption

2005-07-17T20:52:00.000+08:00

If you are one of the few students whose parents gave you the permission to keep a hamster, then let you know I have collected the hamsters already. right now, they are nestling in my bedroom, now my bedroom has got a total of 10 hamsters and 2 dogs. 4 baby hamsters to be given away.

I would be giving out the hamsters by this week. Please get the necessary equipments ready. If you do not collect the hamsters by this week, I might not have the chance to pass it to you already.

This is because this week is my last week in the school.

Yes, you might probably not see me after the 22 july 2005. *sniff*

Excursion to Science Centre with my P3 students

2005-07-17T20:45:00.000+08:00

It is a wonderful Thursday afternoon. We arrived early and the children were all excited to be on the excursion. I think they all felt worried that they might have to hold onto live insects at the Science Centre! *giggles*

Anyhow, we left and entered a laboratory on the 3rd level. We had some time to ourselves while waiting for our teacher in charge of this laboratory lesson, so we took some pictures. Her name was Mrs. Chin.

The children were wonderful, with the exception of a very naughty boy from 3B who had to be chased out of the laboratory because he did not listen to instructions to not touch any of the exhibits on the table, unless the teachers told them to do so.

After the very interesting lesson, we even had a little souvenir to bring home. A model dragonfly. Look at the pictures below, you might find your dragonfly or even see yourself busy making your dragonfly model.

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Sick day

2005-07-15T11:24:00.000+08:00

I am on medical leave today because of a very painful shoulder.

Went to see doctor and doctor aint open until 1 pm -.-
But taxi fare already costs me $11 to and fro the unopened clinic. @%@$!$@#%^&!!!

Will spend money to see doctor later again.. *mutter mutter*

Bintan Getaway 2 days one nite!

2005-07-12T12:27:00.000+08:00

There has been much changes since I last went to Bintan.
Bintan, a mere 45 minto 1 hr ferry ride away from Little red dot Singapore is a favourite haunt of mine. I used to go there 4 times in a year, making me almost a tour guide to the little rustic weekend getaway hideout.

I love the trainquilty, the feeling of not being hurried, not being contactable, of absolutely wanton freedom to just spend time lazing and wasting time. Definitely a must go when you need to unwind.

I love the sea breeze and I love the ability to float effortlessly ( there's higher salt content, thus you are very float-able), I love to be able to swim among the fishes, to catch fishes during low tide, to watch hermit crabs.

In fact, I think I have painted it to be such a lovely place, you must go there and see it for yourself. (damn it.. the nirwana Pr must pay me!) haha!

However these days there are much changes to the place, probably because frequent travellers to the area must have found the area lacking after such frequent visits. The changes are evident from the ferry terminal.

Ah.. here I am once again at bintan Ferry terminals.. awaiting my hotel ferry to ferry me to hotel. Most Bintan-ians are hospitable lot. Afterall, its how they earn money for their daily lives. Evident in their mascot, a wide tooth local grinning at you upon your arrival at the ferry terminal.

A mega big statue of an eagle awaits us at the exit of the ferry terminal.. although it looked majestic, somehow, I gather that's not very good fengshui. You feel as if the eagle is pecking away at you.. how good can that be?

Checked in and got upgraded to deluxe seaView - no extra charge! Absolutely delightful!!

Check out the beautiful pool.. no photoshop on the photos here! all rawly downloaded from the camera. And since my camera contracted that dreadly pms-al disease, its a wonder these photos turn out marvelously well.

The pool comes in shallow (baby) medium and deep. In the midst of it is a poolside bar, 1/2 sunken so that swimmers can grab a quick bite or a little cocktails there if you are tired of lazing around, suntanning or after a little jacuzzi.

Photos from the beach, I became v facinated with coconut trees since that's probably one of the other thing u find in abundance other than water and white soft sand.

Some picture of the sandy white beaches beckoning with very very clear water. Saw a really huge fish like 2 of my palms fitted together looking like a discus. But it swam away after i started shouting and running on the spot. =P

My lunch on the second day, nasi lemak.. the cheapest lunch u can find. Doesnt taste too bad for $3 and iced indonesia mocha coffee for $3.50 that tasted quite heavenly on a scorching hot day!

We ate at this cafe called Dino's bistro, cos Dino the Iguana lives there, but he was nowhere sighted that day. PRobably hiding underneath the rock with the two land tortoises that lived with him.

Dino Bistro comes with a little cafe and a wine corner. Cafe sell all sort of bread, cakes, coffee tea, mocktails, finger food and italian food. Wine corner, as the name says, sells alcohol.

And at the side of it, sited the Warung Asmara - an outlet of the Asmara Spa where you can get footsie, head, neck and shoulders massage for $25 per service.

Sunset in Bintan, second day when we were waiting for our ferry. We did not managed to get the earlier time slot, so we left on the second last trip we left at Singapore's time, 7.30 and reached home at 9pm+.

That's a picture of our ferry approaching the terminal. After the arriving guests
alight from the ferry, we board it for our return trip home.

Not in Singapore

2005-07-08T17:45:00.000+08:00

Will not be contactable after tonight. Not in Singapore. Back on Sunday might blog, might not blog.

HAve a wonderful weekend!
have fun!

Preparing for your hamster's arrival.

2005-07-07T21:23:00.000+08:00

If you are bringing a hamster home, you must have the following ready in your home before it arrives.

1. Cage (plastic or wired)
2. Water bottle
3. Sawdust
4. Running wheel
5. Hamster food mix

There are many different type of hamster cages, but they can be sub divide into 2 main categories. The wired ones and the plastic ones.

I personally prefer the plastic tank ones because they are much cheaper than the wired ones, gives you a clearer view of the hamsters, easier to clean and are better at preventing your hamster from escaping.

I bought my 30 cm long, 20 cm wide plastic fish tank from an aquarium shop for $8.
It comes with a cover that is useful to protect your hamster from prying animals like a bird that fly into your house, or a stray cat looking for food.

Before you put your hamster in, cover the base of the plastic tank with about 2 cm thick of sawdust. The sawdust acts like the hamster's bed and help keep the hamster warm. On cold days, they enjoy digging into the sawdust and hide underneath for warmth.

Do bear in mind that the Roborovski hamsters are the smallest hamster in the world. Therefore, they can easily squeeze through the openings of a wire cage.

You must also know that they are not called "speedy Gonzales" for nothing. They run mighty fast too! IF you take one out from your cage to play, you might find that it would jump out of your hands and you might never find it back again.

You must also provide a running wheel for the hamster to exercise, so that it may amuse itself while living in his new home. It will also help keep it healthy. IF you do not provide a running wheel for the hamster, it might find living in the new home boring and it would find ways and means to escape. Worse, some hamster might even die from lack of exercising!

Always leave enough food for your hamster in the cage. Hamsters like to store their food in their pouches. This is because in the wild, hamsters move from one place to another. By storing food in their pouches, it ensures them that there is always food for them to eat while they travel.

If you see your hamster store food in their pouches, do not forcefully push its pouches to make it empty it. This will cause severe hurt to your new pet.

Do not only feed one type of food to your hamster. Like human beings, hamsters need a variety of food in order to be healthy. Buy hamster food mix from your supermarket or from your nearest pet shop. There are a variety of them to choose from. The cheapest brand costs $3 to $4.

A hamster eats about 20 grams of food each day. I always put about a bowl of food of food in the cage and I only add in more when there is no more food in it.

Water bottle is also important to the hamster. It is from the water bottle that the hamster get its water supply. Make sure that there is always water in the bottle and that there is no sawdust stuck in the tube.

I provide the inside of a toilet roll for the hamster to play with. Sometimes they sleep in it.

Apart from giving your hamster a home to live in , proper food and water, you must also make sure that you keep it clean, so that it may stay healthy.

You can help to make sure the cage is clean by washing the cage and all the other things inside the cage with soapy water every week. When you do this, make sure you remove your hamster and place them in a dry clean pail. A hamster cannot take baths. This is because they do not know how to swim and if water gets into their nostrils, they might choke and drown.

When you wash the cage, throw away all the old sawdust and toilet roll, for they might be soaked with the hamster's urine and manure. Once you have finished cleaning up the cage and its other equipments, dry the them with a piece of clean towel.

When it is dried, cover the base of the tank with fresh sawdust again before placing the other equipment in.

Make sure you clean the water bottle and replace the water in the bottle with clean water. Clean out the food bowl and put in fresh food.

After you have done all these, then put the hamster back into the cage.

Your hamster would be extremely grateful to you for keeping its home clean.

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I think my roborovski hamster is very happy, dont you think?

Science Centre Excursions

2005-07-06T16:14:00.000+08:00

Whee~
I would be going on excursions with the P5s and P3s next week and the week after to the Science Centre!

Are you going to be there? ;P

* I have another 2 more weeks before i leave the school to pursue my studies fulltime*

Kampong Glam Excursion Trip

2005-06-30T18:18:00.000+08:00

It was definately not a glum trip - although I was disappointed that
I did not get to talk much to my 3C students who went today.

But I did take lots of photographs!

First stop - Malay Heritage Centre.

We were told it used to be some sultan's palace and been conserved so that we may learn more about our own heritage.

There was the boat, that was used to ferry Bugis people to Singapore. (People from Bugis originated from an island in Indonesia)

And the Glam tree that the Bugis used its bark to stop the boat from sinking by folding the bark and putting them into the holes on the hull.

Glam leaves may be used to produce medicated oil for insect bites too.

This is a picture of a glam tree with some fruits on its branch.

Next we proceed to the Mosque within the confines of the Heritage Centre.
Here we know that all worshippers or visitors to the mosque we have to borrow a long dress if we are not properly attired (that is wearing shorts or short skirts)

After that, we were given some free time and we browsed the souvenir shops situated
there.

Look! Some children are fascinated by the top Spinning demonstration.

LAstly we went to Raffles Landing site for a viewing. And it is situated just opposite the famous Boat Quay!

Look at all the shops at the other end of the river. They used to be warehouses. Now they are coffee houses and restaurants at this popular tourist spot.

After that we proceeded back to school and a very sweet student from 3C gave me a souvenir she bought... a little pink butterfly just like the purple one you saw earlier.. so sweet of her!

Thank you very much! =)

School Reopened again

2005-06-29T17:25:00.000+08:00

As you all well know already, school re-opened again this week.

I am not sure if you are happy to see your classmates again, (I should think so) because you get to catch up with each other and also renewed your friendships.

It was an extremely busy busy 3 days so far for me.

Remember I said I do not know which classes I am going to teach? Yea.. on monday I was asked to teach 5A, Tuesday and Today I was asked to teach 53SB.

Actually, I feel very tired having to rotate myself betweeen these classes and not have a proper timetable of my own. Can you imagine having to rotate everyday, not knowing where you are going to go everyday until during flag-raising ceremony ?

I wish I have my own class again..

But I was pleasantly surprised when my students in 3C told me today ( when I reliefed a teacher) that they miss me (wah I was so happy!) heehee! Two children even made a "welcome back" card for me.

I am so touched!

Thank you very much!

sigh.. I really missed having my own classes...*sniff*

Photos of my school

2005-06-22T20:48:00.000+08:00

Wanted to take pictures of my really huge school. I get lost in it. I cannot find where is my classrooms and I cannot find where is my lectures being held. And sometimes I cannot even find the canteen.

Wanted to take photo to show you but my camera's battery died on me today. Let me try to get it revived and I will try to post up by this weekend.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

By the way, one little quiz for you:
Q1. Does anybody understand what is a noun, what is a verb what is an adverb?
Q2. How do you recognise a subject? how do you recognise a verb and how do you
recognise adverb?
Person who can convinced me of a good answer, I will give you a little prize =D

I started my course

2005-06-22T08:52:00.000+08:00

Dear readers of this blog (or whoever checks on this blog regularly) an update - I have started my course at NTU (nanyang Technological University) already. It started on 20 June which was Monday.

And finally I can answer the questions all of you have been asking me for weeks..

Question 1:
Will I see you when school reopens?
Ans: Yes, I will still be in your school for 4 weeks. Last day 22 July 2005. My course will officially start on the 25 July 2005 (Monday)

Question 2:
Will you teach our class?
Ans: This I am still not sure because the office will arrange my duties.
However, I think I would probably buddy-teach (sit in the class) with the new teacher who is teaching 4B and 3C.

Question 3:
So when will your course end?
Ans: My course will end in one year's time. Probably by the end of 2006 Term 2, I would be asked to teach again.

Question 4:
After your course, will you come back to our school to teach us?
Ans: After my course, I would be posted to schools to teach. However, MOE (Ministry of Education) will decide where I would be posted to. If I could, I would come back and teach in your school.

Okie, gotta go already. I have lessons today and I have homework to do ;)

Bye for now!

Fashionista Me!

2005-06-17T12:37:00.000+08:00

Hello Everybody its me, Coco again!
What a cold morning!

I had such great fun blogging yesterday, I asked for permission to blog again today!

Today I am going to show you doggy fashion show!
That's a picture of me in my Bumble Bee attire.
My owner always laugh happily whenever I wear this attire.
I think that is because I am so pretty and sweet in it.
She calls me princess sometimes.

Since its doggy fashion show, I also must dress to the nines right?
I don my south-china Sea pearl necklace, so atas looking right.
Oh yes, I saw one girl whose blog shows her going out with pearl necklace everytime, so wearing Pearls must be in now. I must keep a mind to keep wearing pearls when I go for car rides nowadays.

A princess ought to look like a princess, with all her jewellery right!

A close up of my pearls... nice anot?!
They are a tad heavy, but as long as i look pretty, I dont mind the weight.
Oh, that's my doggy tag. My Owner made it for me in Sydney Australia. Didi has a similar one too. His is blue in color, mine's orange just the way i like it.

Ohhhh... this is a photograph of my birthday present this year. From my mummy doggy's owner, she bought this modern pink trenchcoat from Hongkong for me. All my other siblings got one too. But only mine is pink. I love pink, red and orange colors. They make me look so beautiful!

Another picture of me in my pink trenchcoat, before I changed into my latest collection from Japan!

Tada! My latest addition in my wardrobe. Bought from Japan during Mummy's trip to Japan two months ago. Its a raincoat. Suitable for walks on days like this. Complete with a cape too!

It is reversible, but the other side is some army camouflage print. I dont like it. so I did not want to show you. didi also got a similar one. Yellow in color!

Now now now, If I am going for a grand dinner, I would wear my minnie mouse inspired dress. so pretty right.. complete with my Pearl necklace. My owner wanted to buy me diamantes collar- just like Paris hilton's chihuahua, but I find it too gaudy. Pearls are more sophisicated- just like me! *giggles*

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Okie, one last picture of me in my minnie dress before i change out.
Looks like my hairdo is a bit long, it covers my necklace.. must pester owner to bring me for a saloon trip soon!

Last but not least, I also have a very nice traditional Chinese attire. Just suitable for a chinese wedding or for chinese new year. Lots of ang baos guaranteed -If you look twice as good as I do in my clothes. Owner's youngest sister bought this for me, during her trip to hongkong earlier this year. Didi have a similar one in red.

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Nice right?

Here is Didi Wangwang in his Cowboy attire from Hongkong and him in the Similar Cheongsam attire in red. He is so cute too right.

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But I still think I am more photogenic.

There are more clothes. Like my Man Utd Jersey, my Yellow Rugby top, my Osh gosh by kosh purple tees, lots of them.. too much of a hassle to change and take pictures of them.. So.. I hope you enjoy my little fashion show.. till then.

Paws out.

A day in the life of a dog

2005-06-16T14:13:00.000+08:00

Good Morning! My name is Coco and I am blogging today!
My owner needs to do housework today and bathe the smelly hamsters.
Well, I just woke up that's why you caught me yawning! Hmm...my owner is preparing Breakfast for me and my brother..must sit and wait.

My owner always want us to sit and behave before she gives us our food. So here I am sitting and looking pretty for breakfast.

Breakfast was delicious. Owner's sister still sleeping, so i shall join her in her nap. I dont disturb my owner after breakfast because she is reading newspapers. So let me nap first. Oh you want to see my brother?

There he is. His name is WAngwang. He looks messier because he screams everytime my owner combs his hair. That's why I always look so pretty. I like to dress up but he doesn't.

Aiya! why you wake me up? What you want now?? grrrrr You want to see my brother again? Because you think he is lost? Okay let me sniff him out.. *sniff sniff*

I know where he is already.. follow me

There he is under mummy and daddy's bed. *Coco disappears*
Wangwang: Oi! Why sister you wake me up! I want to sleep ley. What? Sister wants me to blog for her?! I don't want! I dont like to blog and owner dont want to play yet she is busy. she is still reading papers. Let me sleep let me sleep..... *whines*

Wangwang: Sister say she blog today right.. okie I go find her... how can she not fulfill her promise to blog today... *mumble mumble*

Wah! she sleeping on her pillow! Looking so comfortable... I want to sleep also.
Sister wake up wake up (so that I may take over your pillow). You must fulfil your promise and let them know what goes on in the life of a doggy hor..you cannot play cheat one!

Coco: okie lar..what else you want to know?
Oh When owner finishes reading her papers and eating her breakfast, we would play fetch ball with her or she would play tickle with me. Let me show you something...

Haha! my favourite toy. My owner gave it to me when I was barely 1 year old. He is my Pooh-pooh. Hee! Unfortunately I bit his nose out when i was teething. So he doesnt have a nose now. But I stil sleep with him everyday.

Hmm.. owner still busy. Mummy also busy. So we lie here waiting for owner to finish her housework... We are lucky, dont get to do housework. housework is tough work you know.

Ah-ha! Owner has completed her housework already and carried both of us for a photo shoot! there you go!! see I am so pretty right!

Okie owner is free, gotta go play with her again. So people, that's all for now. I did not know blogging is such hardwork!

bye!!

Sunrise!

2005-06-14T10:57:00.000+08:00

Sunrise in tiny Singapore. Woke up at 6 + just to take this silly picture. But well worth it ? i think so.

Anyway, no harm done. I went right back to sleep after the photo was taken. Hee!

Pictures of Siloso Beach, Singapore

2005-06-13T17:56:00.000+08:00

Picture of the Siloso Beach. Taken during sunset also. Absolutely lovely right ?

I love photography too!

2005-06-13T17:49:00.000+08:00

Is this a postcard worthy picture? I took this picture at the Pattaya Beach in Pattaya, Thailand. Weather was good - about 20 degrees celsius only! Lots of beach go-ers. They are mostly causasians. Took this picture during sunset.

2005-06-13T17:46:00.000+08:00

I love dogs! I cannot resist them! I went to Chatuchak market in Bangkok, Thailand and had to take photos with the little ones there!

MY dogs

2005-06-13T15:42:00.000+08:00

Are you keen to have a pet of your own?

Well, having a pet of your own is lots of work. Originally, I did not have any pets. When I was young I was terrified of dogs. Those big mongrel dogs at my grandma's kampong house would always howl and bark, showing me their teeth. I got so scared of them, my grandfather would have to leash it up with their chain before i would alight from my dad's car.

Come to think of it, that's very bad behaviour. The dog must not like me, cos everytime im there to visit my grandparents, he's being locked up. NOw that i think of it, I very much pity the dog and hoped it went to heaven already.

Do you know that dogs have a life span of only about 13 years? It must have been more than 13 years since i last saw the dog. It must have went to heaven, since all dogs go to heaven dont they?

I kept my first pet when I was in primary school. I got myself pet swordfishes. They are red in color and have this pointy pointy red and black tail. However, I think they are a little dumb.

Why? Whenever i left the cover of the plastic tank open, they would commit suicide by jumping out of the water. At times, I managed to save it by realising it on time and putting them back into the tank. But sometimes I am too late and they die all dried up! *sniff*

By P6, i decided fishes are stupid. I refused to have anymore pet fishes. I refused to follow my parents to the market anymore becos they used to sell pet fishes in the wet market.

When I was in JC, my friend gave me a cutesy little hamster for my birthday present. Cage, water bottle included. But I have to buy my own pet food. Which costs alittle over $3. It's a white syrian, with long white fur. I called it brandi and i had to clean its cage every weekend or else it will stink the air. I even bathed the hamster so that it dont smell.

Brandi is a very mischevious hamster. It ran away one day while nobody was looking and we cannot find him. The disappearance hurt alot and I was so angry with it for running away.

a few days later my mother's friend found two baby hamsters, (Somebody abandoned the hamsters, probably because the hamsters are too smelly) and gave one to me. I called her Whiski.

She was so fun to be with. She would wake up aqt 8pm sharp everyday and does the suicidal act of jumping from her second storey house to the base of the cage, so that we know she is awake and will go feed her.

Whiski lived a ripe old age of 3 years old and passed away one afternoon. Everybody in the house was upset. My two younger sisters wept, I wept even my mother was affected. She was buried under my block - my mother helped me to bury her. From then on, my mother decreed - no more pets! They caused too much heartache.

however, we met up with an old neighbour a few months later. You see her female dog gave birth to 4 puppies recently and she wanted to give one to us. So I was excited and asked my mother for permission. She said no no no no no no and no.

I thought that was the end of it. Then one fine day, she came to me and asked do you really want that dog? I say yes! And she laid down her conditions. At that time I was a big girl already. I was already studying in the university and is able to take care of myself and I was also working part time. So after my university examinations, my mother agreed to let me go visit my old neighbour and choose our puppy home!

That was the happiest day of my life.

I choose the puppy and brought it home. To date, the dog's food, grooming, cleaniness, poop and urine are all undertaken by me alone. It took me 2 months before i successfully trained my dog to pass motion and urinate in the toilet and not anywhere else.

So you see, if your parents refused to allow you to have your own pet, it is not because they cannot afford to. It is also not because they dont love you. It is simply because at the moment, they want to have the time to take care of you. When you are older, perhaps your parents would allow you to take on the responsibility of having a pet to call your own. So in the meantime, be satisfied with just playing with somebody's dog until you are all grown up and can take care of yourself and others too.

Why did I have two dogs instead of one? I shall save that story for another day.

My hamsters

2005-06-13T15:40:00.000+08:00

MY Hamsters. These are winter white dwarf hamsters. But i have no idea how come they grow up to be so fat and big. Maybe its the good food I have been feeding them.

One is a Pearl Winter White - female hamster. The other one is a normal Winter white hamster - Male. I have no idea why they dont want to get married and give birth to baby hamsters. They are not one year old now. But still no babies. *mutters*

They frequently fight and shrieks. The white one especially. My friends called her Drama Queen. The Grey hamster is always bullied. Poor thing. They still live together. These days I stopped their quarrels by providing them two wheels in the cage, Two toilets in the cage and two feeding bowls and two water bottles. Yes, they stopped quarreling already and they know which bowls, toilet and bottle belonged to them. Good. This way I wont be awaken in the middle of the night having to quell their quarrels by isolating them separately.

Anyway, I have a friend who has got a pair of hamsters who keep giving birth. Just wondering if there is anybody who wanted to adopt her hamsters? Drop me a note and let me know.

2005-06-03T17:32:00.000+08:00

An Instructor reassuring a frightened student before her abseiling attempt.

2005-06-03T17:30:00.000+08:00

The full view of the roles challenge. Children getting ready to assist should any team-mate require any rescue, their ladders are on stand-by.

2005-06-03T17:21:00.000+08:00

Rock Climbing activities with my group Cygnus!

2005-06-03T17:19:00.000+08:00

Another brave soul walking on tight rope at the ropes challenge

2005-06-03T17:06:00.000+08:00

Children getting ready for their water rafting activities. Look at their vibrant faces - they are clearly enjoying themselves!

2005-06-03T17:02:00.000+08:00

A Student concentrating on the ropes challenge, very brave of her!

2005-06-03T16:59:00.000+08:00

children awaiting the first activity of the day - the tunnel in total darkness

Memoirs

Happy New Year =)

the HortPark

the long absence

Happy Chinese New Year 2008

Announcing the arrival of my baby..

I will miss my primary 2 class ...

lazy day at home with my dog =)

Happy 42nd Birthday, Singapore!

Mid year Break

I saw Jay Chou in Singapore!!

My very short trip to Batam, Indonesia

Continuous assessments

Annoucement announcement Hear all Hear All!

Happy New Year!

Hamster cage and Accessories to give away

Bad day... i'm burnt out!

eeps

So there say ... it is interesting ..

Merry christmas?

omg!

Dinner and Dance

Wang's photos

yoohoo!

Good luck for PSLE!

singapore idol finals

bloggies!

Whatdayou know?!

Videos on demand - for free.

Matilda was booted out ... was it a surprise ?

singapore Idol - August week 2!

An unhappy day

Reading blogs

singapore Idol - 28 July

Singapore Idol - my take...

whee! I have graduated once more!

Graduation

Library visit yesterday ...

Due to popular demand.. how to make your own blog.

What's up everybody?

Going back to school to teach ..

I need some help - URGENT!

Happy new year!

Rediscover Singapore

My long absence

Railway station

Happy Children's Day!

Contentment

A lesson to be learnt

Happy Teachers' day!

A picture of the tutorial room

Ah more photos of my school!

Sad day today .... *sniff*

National Day Celebrations

National Day Celebrations

Going to be very busy

NTU - My school

Some word guides

Busy day!

My first day of lessons

Am sick

Racial harmony day photographs

Forgiveness

Reuploading the photos

i am mad

My last day is also Racial Harmony Day Celebrations

Physical fitness Test

The baby hamsters

2 more days to go... and I have got lots to say...

Hamsters for adoption

Excursion to Science Centre with my P3 students

Sick day

Bintan Getaway 2 days one nite!

Not in Singapore

Preparing for your hamster's arrival.

Science Centre Excursions

Kampong Glam Excursion Trip

School Reopened again

Photos of my school

I started my course

Sad day today .... sniff