Monday, August 29, 2005
Ill Again
Okay, this is like the third time I'm falling ill in Term 3. I'm getting very irritated with this flu bug. I can feel the fever coming and my throat feels horrible. Anyway, before it gets any worse, I'd better get some medicine from my doctor.
I'm probably going marking after seeing the doctor. Awful, isn't it? To be ill and not being able to rest. Sigh. What to do? I MUST return the kids their papers.
Oh, my parents finally left for Thailand yesterday morning. They thought the flight on Saturday evening was 10.15pm when it was actually 9.15pm. By the time they reached the airport, the plane had already flown off. They didn't quarrel when they came back either - thanks to my brother's girlfriend. Haha! It was her first time at our place and I guess my parents wanted to give her a good impression. Gosh, they were sOoOoOOOOOooo polite the whole evening - even after I'd helped them book the air tickets to leave on Sunday morning. Model parents! ;p
Brother, please say 'thank you' to your girlfriend on my behalf. This is from the bottom of my heart. =D
Anyway, I guess I'd better get going. I want to be the first to see the doctor!
jOyZ blogged at 8:12 AM
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Saturday, August 27, 2005
Parents
My parents are coming back! Gosh, I wonder what happened?! They called back a while ago. My brother must have answered the phone because I heard it stop ringing. The next thing I knew, my brother was telling me they were coming home.
Sigh. I think I'd better go and sleep. Every time they quarrel, I get a very bad headache.
By the way, I really feel that there should be an education centre for parents. Teach them how to be good parents. Most parents don't have any idea what they do (or don't do) have very major influences in their children's lives - both positive and negative ones.
God save us all.
jOyZ blogged at 11:07 PM
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More Marking Marathons
I was out marking on Thursdays and Friday, though on Friday I ended up talking with Cheryl and didn't go home until about 11.30pm or so. I'd missed the last bus. By the time I reached home, it was past midnight! Hah!
Oh, I managed to finish marking by Friday afternoon - in time for the PPR. After that I went Funan with Pikie. She had remedials till about 5pm and she wanted to get some IT gadgets, so we headed down to Funan together. I bought a protective bag for my new laptop. *grins* I can even squeeze in the external drive and the 2 batteries. I believe I can even squeeze in the tiny optical mouse I have on my desk at work! Hah! What a good buy. Just before I was about to purchase the bag, I caught a glimpse of a pair of laptop speakers costing only about S$15! I bought them too.
I'm rather pleased with my new buys. =D The speakers aren't too bad seriously. At least they're better than the ones I've been using. ;P
I was so excited with my new laptop speakers that when I reached the Marks and Spencers Cafe at Centrepoint (where Cheryl was and had already started her marking) I took them out and tried them out on my laptop! Haha!
Oh, and I bought a pair of new shoes too. I think Cheryl has the same pair. They felt really comfortable. I'd wanted to buy them another time, but apparently it was the last pair of size 6 and they had run out of stock for size 7. I had to buy the shoes. =)
That was that. My mini shopping spree. I haven't bought anything since Perth trip. I didn't even go shopping during the Great Singapore Sale.
My parents are leaving for Thailand tonight. Their flight is at around 10pm, but they are still at home! They'll be going away for a week exactly, so they will only be back next Saturday evening. As usual, my dad has left a lot of instructions for my brother and me in looking after the house.
I don't know how. I need to mark, mark, mark and there's no way I can mark at home! Yeah, another impending marking marathon. Doesn't seem to end, does it? I've got to finish my graduating classes Preliminary papers by the time the one week break finishes. The 4N papers are already in. In fact, I've already finished marking 4H's Paper 2. 5B will be taking their EL paper right after Teachers' Day.
Oh, my parents have left. Goodness, they were making such a racket (as they ALWAYS do) before stepping out of the house. My dad asked me to call a cab for them while my mom said 'no'. Who do I listen to? Good grief.
There's only one thing I can say: Brother, you were really smart to have left the house earlier this afternoon. xP
Anyway, they're gone. Well, for one entire week at least - I can look forward to enjoying abundant peace once I'm home.
jOyZ blogged at 8:04 PM
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Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Waiting
Right. I'm waiting for the 'O' Level EL Oral Examination to finish so that the last pupil can collect his/her handphone and then I can go home. Haha. No, actually, I'm just waiting to hear how they feel they've done for the oral examination.
There were mixed responses so far. Some felt they were okay. There were others who felt that they didn't do too well.
Whatever the case is, it's over! So move on to the next thing - all the written papers and Science practicals. Yep, take one step at a time. I know it's not easy because the worries and fears are always there hovering, waiting to seize you into a state of panic.
As we have often heard or are told: Do our best and let God do the rest!
Tomorrow's batch: がばて！
jOyZ blogged at 4:38 PM
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Monday, August 22, 2005
Give Us Desktops Rather Than Laptops
Yes. If we have no faith in the security here, why not give all staff a desktop each at our workstation? If we have to take our laptops out, set it up when we want to use it at our desks and then keep it again when we have to rush off for lessons, why give us laptops in the first place?
So I propose desktops for everyone. This will save us all the trouble of taking out and keeping our laptops repeatedly like crazy (as if we're not stressed enough with so little time at hand). I mean, after all, the criminal will think twice about trying to carry away an LCD monitor and the CPU of a desktop, right? A laptop is so much easier to steal!
And speaking of which, I've been waiting for my laptop forever. To accuse me of losing it is just downright ridiculous when it was stolen away from me. Get your facts right! And to delay giving me the second-hand laptop is a matter of incompetency. If I'm supposed to be punished, so to speak, for inviting the criminal (may God's vengeance be upon him/her) for stealing away the organization's property, just say so. I can't stand not knowing the status of any promise - either you keep it or you break it, but JUST TELL ME.
It's stupid to ask me or even wonder why I'm bringing my own laptop. The reason is clear and simple enough - I've waited long enough and I need a laptop to do my job. Fry the desktops in the Resource Room for all I care - a couple of them don't allow me access into the sharing drive, thus they are not of use to me. I'd rather prepare my materials on my own laptop, email it to myself, retrieve the documents from the desktop in the Resource Room and print them out. It's tedious but that's how I've been surviving for the past half-year (if you actually care to know) after having been promised of a second-hand laptop. So quit giving me looks of reproach, disdain and disapproval. I've had it up to here and all ready to fling the crap back at you.
Proposal 2: Why don't we get the security guard to stand outside the Staff Room to monitor the comings and goings of all staff and visitors? Oh, since we're at it, the guard could probably check the bags of everyone when he/she goes in and out of the Staff Room.
You want security, do it thoroughly. YAR! And invade ALL privacy. ALL!
!&#%!*!%)*@+~!^#
jOyZ blogged at 12:46 PM
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Saturday, August 20, 2005
A Tiring Morning
I was at school from 9am all the way to slightly after 2.30pm helping my students with the preparation for the oral examination. Some of them had to wait for hours before I could see them. I thank and applaud them for their patience. I certainly hope that they'd found the session useful, especially for Picture Discussion.
It was a tiring morning. By the time I was done, I was tired and starving. I had the intention to join some of them at Dawson Place for a late lunch, but they were about to finish, so it was kind of pointless for me to go there to eat while they wait for me to finish or to just eat alone.
Anyway, I ended up having lunch with Pikie at Don in Tanglin Mall. I realised that they didn't have toilets in the restaurant and rushed to McDonald's. Haha. Cheryl was there with some of her 4B pupils helping them with Geography. Well, I had to rush out of McDonald's again because the toilet there didn't have toilet roll. -_- I had to go all the way to the ladies at the basement.
After finishing lunch, Pikie went over to say 'hi' to them while I went to withdraw some cash and then we bought some necessities at the supermarket at the basement. We went back to McDonald's again to say 'bye' and then went home, and I've been online ever since.
Speaking of which, my brother is still doing up my new laptop for me. I wonder when he'll be done with it. I can't wait it to use it! =D It's slightly bigger than I'd expected - which is good - and rather light.
jOyZ blogged at 6:06 PM
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When Will It EVER Be 'Good Enough'?
When? You tell me when? I'm just SICK and TIRED of trying so hard all the time and not living up to YOUR MAJESTY'S expectations.
"Why this...?"
"Why that...?"
"Do this..."
"Do that..."
"Don't make me..."
You know what? Threaten all you like. I've come to a stage where I don't care anymore.
I. Seriously. Don't.
jOyZ blogged at 12:40 AM
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Friday, August 19, 2005
It's An Asylum
I'm referring to my work place. Sigh. There are so many things going on at the same time and so many things have happened.
I've been going for the EL 'O' Level Oral Examination last Thursdays to this Wednesday at Henderson. On Thursday and Friday this week and next Monday, I'm the AOE at QTSS. It was freezing at the library today. The wet weather outside made it even colder. Marina from 4C remarked it was like winter in the library. I couldn't agree more.
This Monday was a mad rush because of the invigilation of the 'N' Level Prelim for CPA. In the first place, I -totally- forgot I had to invigilate so I was like 15 minutes late! By the time I got to Lab 2, the whole place was in a flurry of activities - some pupils couldn't get their printouts printed because of LOUSY printers; some needed more papers for printing; some were still hunched over their work, desperately trying to figure out the Database Access question and software; and some, well, simply gave up and slept! o_O Just as well I was late because very much later, I was told the whole paper started late. So everything was delayed by half-an-hour. My free periods in between lessons were all gone. =(
I spent a record of 10 minutes preparing a worksheet and photocopying it for my next lesson with 3D - only to discover that I was supposed to go back to 3A to return them their essays and tests. I couldn't return them their essays because I didn't bring them to school and could only return them their tests. It wasn't only until lesson ended with 3A that I could relax a little. I dropped everything else and spent about 30 minutes reading the newspaper while munching on junk. xP And then it was off to Henderson for the Oral Examination.
Tuesday was another crazy day. Some of my free periods were gone because I had to do invigilation on behalf of colleagues who went on MC. (The number of people on MC on Monday and Tuesday was appalling!) And I blasted at 4H for taking their own sweet time to get ready for their EL Prelim Paper 2. Some of them were doing colouring on some piece of Art work! Some were sleeping at their desks! The entire classroom was like a pig sty! It took me FIFTEEN minutes to get them settled and ready for the EXAM PAPER. Good grief.
While invigilating, the class next door was extremely inconsiderate and moved in and out of their class noisily. I went out to reprimand a few of them. One girl actually called me names - not once but twice! I couldn't do anything at that moment because I had to invigilate the paper. So, I kept quiet and waited for the next invigilator to come along to relieve me. However, five minutes later, some kind of commotion took place a few classrooms away. I saw pupils running out from the next door again - all going in the same direction - and I came out to take a look. I saw a huge group of pupils standing around watching some kind of fight that was going on. I was really angry when I heard some pupils cheering on the fight. What were they trying to do?!
For a moment, I was at a loss because I couldn't leave the class I was invigilating alone - it was after all an examination. But a fight was unfolding right before my eyes! So, I shouted at the whole group of people. Immediately, the group dispersed. Some people pretended nothing was going on and continued to hang around casually. At that moment, Cheryl came (to invigilate) and I told her what had just happened. She went to take a look and then informed the General Office while I continued to invigilate the class till she came back.
After that I went to the next-door classroom and asked to see the girl who called me names. She didn't look the least bit remorseful and even dared to look at me disdainfully. Honestly speaking, I couldn't be bothered about how she felt or thought about me. But I couldn't allow her to let her classmates think her kind of behaviour was condoned at school. And to think she was suspended from school for 2 weeks very recently! Anyway, I brought her to the General Office for higher authority to deal with her. I had better and more important things to do than make myself go hopping mad at people like her.
Wednesday and Thursday were slightly better but no less hectic. Anyway, I don't wish to blog everything - too much to blog about! It's amazing that I still have energy to blog at this hour. Haha. I guess I just need the time to reflect and enjoy a bit of music. Somehow these seem more important than sleep at the moment.
This week has just been a total catastrophe, but I'm just thankful that I'm holding on to my sanity pretty well so far. Pressure is mounting due to the coming major examinations. I can't say I'm handling everything very well but I'm just glad I haven't gone mad yet.
Well, to everyone who's feeling suffocated, lost and exhausted, hang on in there and give support to one another. It's this very trying period of time when you actually know who your true friends are. I guess that's what the expression '换难中见真情' means. =)
jOyZ blogged at 1:52 AM
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Sunday, August 14, 2005
EL 'O' Level Oral Examination
It's kinda fun being the Oral Examiner 1 (OE1) whether it's for the 'N' or 'O' Levels Examinations. Why? Because the OE1 is the one who gets to shade the marks on the marksheet! Wahahahah! Cheap thrill! ;p
Actually, whether or not I enjoy my duties as an OE (1 or 2) really very much depends on the school's standard of English. I remember going Fairfield Methodist and St. Theresa's for oral examinations and enjoying 'interacting' with the pupils there. Their reading and communication skills were amazing. One of them from (St. Theresa) used words I would never use when I'm speaking. For example, the word 'panacea'. I really quite enjoyed the talk with the pupil. I remember the topic was about marriage and she had this whole lot of ideas to share! The other examiner and I were suitably impressed and we gave her really high marks.
This year, I'm having duties at Henderson. The standard of English isn't as good as the aforementioned two schools definitely, so I was really bored with some of the things the pupils said during the conversation part. There were a handful who couldn't talk! Good grief! My fellow examiner, Jason (from Outram), and I had to prompt them like mad. There was one girl whom we felt very sorry for. She just panicked and couldn't say or talk much for the picture and conversation. Her reading skills were pretty good actually. However, we failed her miserably for the other 2 sections. We felt bad doing it, but it had to be done. Sigh. :(
Well, I must remember to share my experiences with 5B on Monday. I didn't have the time to on Friday. Right now, I'm struggling to cope with helping them with their oral examination skills and going out for duties - despite the fact that I'd actually started preparing them weeks back and this is already the second time I'm seeing them individually. Not too sure how helpful this will be. A lot really depends on their on-the-spot performance.
There's probably going to be one extra candidate for tomorrow's session. Last Friday, one of the candidates' twin brother was on MC - he had fever apparently. Speaking of which, this particular candidate looked a lot like an ex-pupil of QTSS - Shuhan. I was extremely tempted to ask that candidate if he had an elder brother by that name. Haha. Eventually, I didn't. It didn't seem proper. Heh. The poor candidate was a nervous wreck - he was reading and talking throughout in a high-strung voice! He sounded like he'd been strangled. I'm serious. It didn't help that the air-condition in the hall was blasting right at him - he was shivering like mad. My fellow examiner and I were freezing as well.
Anyway, this coming week will be another 'mad' week. Thank God we're released from the last lesson of the day so that we have time to have a quick bite before going for our duties as examiners. Marianne and I have been going to Henderson by cab! It was raining on the first day but we were just plain lazy on the second day. xP
Another crazy day today. I intend to mark, burn the EL presentation for the whole class and what not all within today! Ambitious, huh?
Yeah. Right. 'Ambitious'. xP
jOyZ blogged at 10:01 AM
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Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Happy Birthday, My Dear Home
It was Singapore's 40th Birthday Bash yesterday. She has indeed come a long way. I guess Singaporeans ought to be proud that we have achieved so much being such a young nation.
But like all things imperfect, how can we remove negative descriptions like 'kiasuism' and 'complainy society'? Or has such descriptions become characteristics that simply define a Singaporean?
How many times have we come across newspaper articles about one Singaporean being able to identify another overseas simply by the way the latter rushes for food (glorious food!) at buffet? Have we become so proud that we're so ungracious to the people around us - fellow countrymen or not?
I think it's a matter of time before we are able to remove all these undesirable traits. I'd like to think it's because within the (relatively) short time we've come to achieve success, we don't know how to remain humble. We're too driven to be successful such that we learn to be aggressive and arrogant.
How many of us young ones can truly understand what our forefathers had to suffer in order for Singapore to be what she is today? I'm not saying the present generation is not a hardworking lot and that we're not suffering in any way at all. (We do have our fair share of 'national emergencies' to cope with.) Successful economy has its down side as well - we're suffering from countless broken families simply because parents are too busy with work to spend quality time with their children (and even vice versa) or because of some other reasons less 'noble'.
We ought to cherish what we have right now - all our experiences and the fruits of our labour. We ought to remain humble because there will always be another who is more powerful, richer, better. We ought to strive to do our best to succeed not just economically but morally and spiritually as well. We ought to embrace our rojak culture - authentic or not, it defines us. It's our story, our history.
What can I say? All I know - in spite of Singapore's successes and failures, strengths and imperfections - this is my home. Wherever I may go in the future, I will want to come home eventually. This is where my ash will lie.
Happy Birthday, My Dear Home. =)
jOyZ blogged at 10:14 AM
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Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Back To Work
It's back to work again for me today. I literally dragged myself to work! Sigh. Thankfully, the day has been pleasant enough.
During the last period of the day, I brought 4H to the library as usual and came across this book which talked about motivating and energizing people at work. Intrigued, I took it, sat down and read. When the bell rang for school to end, I stayed in the library to finish up the book after dismissing my pupils. It was an interesting read and I finished the thin book within an hour.
There were four ingredients to motivating and energizing people at work:
1) Choose your attitude
2) Play
3) Be present
4) Make their day
The protagonist was facing certain trials and tribulations in her life (especially to cope with feeding her family after her husband died) and her company decided to promote her by putting her in-charge of the worst department in the company. She was reputed to be a good leader and they wanted her to turn the department around. With the help of a fishmonger who supplied her with the 'Fish Philosophy' (the 4 ingredients above), the aim was achieved. In the process, she also regained her own confidence and found a soulmate in the fishmonger.
Many of us know that choosing our attitude is the key to being happy. The book gave several anecdotes to illustrate this. When the protagonist introduced this first principle to her staff, one employee raised a point: "We can't choose how other people treat us." The protagonist asked him, "If you were in a tough part of town (meaning where violence is rampant) and someone aggressively cuts into your lane while driving, would you spew expletives and show vulgar hand signs?" The employee replied without hesitation that he wouldn't want to get beaten up. The protagonist went on to point out that since he had made a choice not to react negatively to the aggressive treatment in a tough part of town, why should he waste his choice by reacting differently in a nice suburban area and getting angry in the process?
Hm. I guess we all know this first principle. But more often than not, it's easier said than done. How many a time we don't want to appear weak and soft at work (so that we will not be taken advantage of) and we pull glum faces all the time, thus repelling anyone (be it a colleague or a client) who wishes to talk about work or simply just talk? It's also really quite hard to react positively to someone who have, for instance, maligned you for trying to backstab him at work.
Well, that's food for thought for anyone I guess. How can we choose to react positively in certain difficult circumstances? A flat tyre, unreasonable clients, routined job and so on.
For now, I choose to eat. Haha. I'm hungry. ;p
jOyZ blogged at 3:08 PM
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Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Second Day Of MC
I'm charging my iPod and updating the songs in it now. Charging it takes forever. Yawn.
I think my voice is coming back. Wonderful, isn't it? Just by not talking for a day, I recover better. I hope I won't lose my voice once I go back to work tomorrow. I will talk minimally today during lunch with Imelda and Gina. We'll be eating sushii later! =) Phew, nothing fried for my throat.
I just finished a bowl of soup noodles for breakfast actually. I didn't have dinner last night so was really famished when I woke up just now.
Hm, I'm feeling kinda bored now. One look at the stack of essays and I want to cry! Why must marking essays be so painful? Sigh. If only there was a miracle method of improving everyone's writing at the same time... Actually, since Secondary 1, most of my pupils have improved in their writing somewhat - just that I wished they'd started reading more at lower secondary so that by now, they have no problems getting at least a Pass at O Levels. Oh well... too late for all the 'if only I had done this or that's. Everyone will just have to do what we can now.
Oh dear, the sky is dark grey! I haven't seen the sky in this colour for quite a while. It's going to be a thunderstorm. The trees are swaying a bit too vigorously. I hope it'll stop by 1.30pm.
I don't know why I'm blogging this entry, really. I think I'm plain bored. Alright, whether I like it or not, I have to continue with my marking. Sighs!
jOyZ blogged at 11:03 AM
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Monday, August 01, 2005
Brief Encounter With The Unexpected
I came home hours ago from marking outside. I still can't finish the whole stack! ARGH!
Oh, guess what? While marking, I noticed these 2 Negro fellas outside eating and drinking. One was in suit and tie while the other was casually dressed. An hour later, they came indoors and ordered some more food. I felt really uncomfortable when they sat at the table that was nearest to mine. They weren't exactly near, but because my table was at a secluded corner, I felt intimidated. They stayed there the whole morning until after lunch.
Then at around 2pm or so, the one in suit and tie came over to my table and asked if I lived nearby. I gave him a blank look, "I'm sorry?" I was very tempted to politely ask him to mind his own business. He repeated his question and I told him I wasn't living in the vicinity. He went on asking me more questions (eg. if I were a Singaporean and whether I was still schooling). When I told him I was a working adult, he realised he couldn't ask me anymore questions without telling me his motive. He asked if he could be friends with me and asked for my address and telephone number.
I literally flipped! My response was quick though polite: "I'm afraid not." He was very persistent and said that he would like to see me again. I nearly gagged. It was all too ridiculous to me. Was this fella desperate or what?! I mean, no offence to men and guys out there, but not all females are flattered by such attention.
Finally, I gave him my reason: "My boyfriend wouldn't be too pleased if he knew about this."
Immediately, he apologised and backed off. Then he and his friend left the place, and I could breathe again.
That was my brief encounter with the unexpected. I can assure you, I don't feel flattered at all.
This reminded me of the time (many years back when I was still at NUS) when I was at Tralfagar Square in London with my cousin, Xiaorong. This Italian good-looker actually chatted her up and gave her a french! My poor cousin rushed all the way to the ladies to rinse her mouth for the longest time and I was guffawing away like a crazed loon.
I had my share of chats-up too. I remember being at some museum and I was staring most intently at some ancient Chinese characters on display trying to decipher them when the English man beside me asked me if I knew how to read the words. I told him I could only read a few. Then he started asking me questions - where I was from, what I was doing in London and so on. He looked harmless to me, so I answered his questions easily. He started telling me about himself and I remember thinking, "Oh gosh, I'm just a foreigner touring your country and you're telling me about your life story?" I can't remember what he told me, but I recall wanting to get out of the place. God must have heard my silent cry for help - my cousin called out to me and said she wanted to leave. I was more than ready to abandon the place and quickly told the English chap I had to rush off, that it was nice talking to him and then I was off!
When I told my cousin about it, she joked he was probably looking for a Chinese wife. Har har. Very funny. I wasn't the least bit amused.
Anyway, perhaps to many people chatting-up is really nothing nowadays. It's all about being friendly. I guess there's nothing wrong in that, but we gotta ask ourselves what is the motive of the person? Sometimes, we know what the other party wants, but we play along and it becomes a game... a guessing game and a game to see who 'wins'. Is this all necessary? What has happened to the good ol' 'love story' or just platonic friendships?
It is worrying to see how youngsters these days get themselves attached, detached and attached again. It becomes a cycle. They get hurt in the process. Is this called love? I think they themselves know it's not - it's plainly a flirting game. That makes it all the more worrying - knowing it and yet still doing it. Why? For the thrill? For company? Or some other reasons?
I don't know what I'm trying to blog about here. It's just that today's encounter triggered off some memories and thoughts in me.
Maybe you ask: what's wrong with doing all this?
I remember years ago, Kris said this: why don't you ask what is right instead?
jOyZ blogged at 9:14 PM
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On MC Again
My doctor gave me a 2-day medical leave and said that I must not talk for the next 2 days! I certainly hope I can recover even before the O Level Oral Exam starts, otherwise I will not be able to help 5B with their reading, picture discussion and conversation components. Sigh.
Anyway, I just changed the tagboard for my blog. I don't know what is wrong with the old one. I couldn't even enter the website to check my account. So I'm abandoning that tagboard. :P
So bored. I can't even call people up to talk. Well, it's not as if anyone's free to talk anyway. When you come to this age, most of your friends are either busy working or, well, busy working. Sigh.
I think I should go back to my marking. Ugh.
jOyZ blogged at 12:26 PM
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