= FAVOURITE WORD =
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight.
[NIV]
New phase. More changes.
What would the future bring?
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Corrinne May's Albums
I've finally fallen ill... after so many late-nights. I probably had it coming. Anyway, it's the usual symptoms - fever, half-blocked-half-runny nose and bad cough. I really hate flu. I hope I won't lose my voice this time.
Recently, I bought Corrinne May's two albums - Fly Away and Safe In A Crazy World. I didn't have the time to listen to them until last night as I lay in bed trying to sleep. She writes great songs. Heh, as if the world doesn't know it already. Actually, I'd wanted to buy her albums since last year, but never got down to really doing it until some time last week. Some procrastination. ;p
I love her lyrics. They are so refreshing and a lot more meaningful than the pop songs we listen to nowadays. And because she's a Christian, some of her songs reflected certain aspects of that identity - Free, Journey and Everything In Its Time, just to name a few. There's one song I find particularly enjoyable - cute, really: Little Superhero Girl, the first song in the album Safe In A Crazy World. I was chuckling to myself when I was reading the lyrics and listening to the CD.
And I teared when I heard song number 9 in the same album - The Birthday Song. I don't know why... I guess I find it very heartwarming and nolstagic. It reminded me of the times I'd spent with my good friends - whether or not I'm still keeping in touch with them now.
I think it's the first album that has wrung out all kinds of emotions in me - from amusement to nolstagia to even deep reflection.
jOyZ blogged at 9:28 AM
~~~~~~
Saturday, February 25, 2006
This Exhausting Week
This week has been exhausting. On the average, I've been sleeping 3 to 4 hours every day except for last night - which explains why I'm up so early today. Then again, I woke up because of a bad stomachache and inexplicably I don't want to go back to sleep.
This week, I went marking with Cheryl and Pei Chin at Paragon's Starbucks after my facial on Tuesday and after the school's Cross Country on Wednesday - I think. I can't quite remember if I'd gone marking with them on Monday. Hm, I guess not. Anyway, my memory seems to be failing me of late - probably due to the lack of sleep.
This week, I also went for a KTV session with Pikie and Zhen'ai. It's been a long time since I howled and screeched my lungs out. On our way home, we saw Melody and Sherlyn at Coffee Bean and sat down for a while to chat with them. John came over after his work and he showed us this list of food items which he is allergic to. Poor fella... he can't eat eggs, chicken, beef and many other foodstuff for a year. =(
This week after the staff meeting, I watched The Pink Panther with Cheryl. It was hilariously stupid. Steve Martin's character had an outrageously, incredibly DUMB brain - probably the size of an amoeba - until he was thoroughly humiliated by his greedy-for-fame-and-glory superior. The accent bit really tickled me... especially when the moronic inspector kept repeating 'I would like a hamburger' while learning to speak like an American. Hahaha...
Oh, and last but not least...
This week, my parents finally bought our new home which is somewhere along Bukit Timah Road. My expenses for transport will definitely be going up and up! Sigh! But, well, we bought over the apartment at a really good price - well within our budget, thank God! After several weeks of house-hunting and negotiating with some of the potential ones, my dad prayed for God's intervention... and voila! Exactly one week later, we got this apartment.
Honestly, I'm having mixed feelings. As much as I hate the condition of my present home, I'm going to miss living so close to town. And though I'm not exactly looking forward to living in a smaller apartment (the new home is about 300-400 square feet smaller than my present one), I'm quite excited about the prospect of being able to do up my own room. I'm still thinking about the kind of look I want to have for my room. Hopefully, there's enough space on the walls to hang up my 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, which has been lying around in my present room collecting dust.
Alright, I'm signing off. It's about time for me to get ready and head for work. It's dreadful because I've been going back to school practically every Saturday just to prepare lessons for Monday. 9_6 Well, there isn't much of a choice. With such a packed schedule on Monday, it's either I face it ready or unprepared to teach. I don't like to be caught in the latter situation.
Till I blog again... Au revoir!
jOyZ blogged at 7:40 AM
~~~~~~
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Whatever
Whatever.
Favourite word or what?
Whatever.
It's worse than any other cussing word.
Whatever.
Okay, fine. You want it this way, you WIN.
Whatever.
WHATEVER.
jOyZ blogged at 12:14 PM
~~~~~~
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Just An Hour Of Snooze
I was up till 5.30am marking yesterday and only had like an hour of sleep before I dragged myself out of bed for work.
This year, my Thursdays are really hectic. Thankfully, 4G had a comprehension test for one period today, so I didn't have to teach much.
Anyway, there's nothing much to blog really. I've been busy. And tired.
jOyZ blogged at 11:56 PM
~~~~~~
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Release of O-Level Results
The big day had come and gone. The teachers who taught the graduating classes last year were all jittery, waiting for the time when the results would be released to us. I was distributing the nomination forms for Good Character Award when suddenly I heard screams from the HOD room! Then it hit me - the results!
I rushed to the HOD room to take a look. The first subject that was released to us was the EL results of the Express stream. It was too good to be true - 98.6% passing rate! That was almost like 100%! I felt even more nervous for the NA stream. How would they fare? I was so anxious and afraid that I teared a little as I waited amidst the excitement manifested in some of the teachers when they saw the results of other subjects - especially for the pure Geography elective. Haha. 100% passes with about 70% distinction rate! What a feat! Cheryl was really very, very happy. The teachers were like hugging and congratulating one another for the fantastic results reaped after all the hard work. At that point in time, a thought hit me: The teachers were already overjoyed; what of the pupils when they see their own results later?
When the EL results for the NA stream was finally released, I heaved a sigh of relief. It was above the national average and, after a quick mental calculation of the number of 5B pupils within the A2 to C6 range, the MSG looked better than I'd hoped it would be - probably an average of 5.5 for the class MSG. When the statistics were all printed out, I checked and saw that it was actually 5.3! Good grief! Over the past 3 years, I've been trying to get their MSG past 6.0 and now it's a 5.3!
After the excitement had died down and the teachers had regained composure (haha... what a sight it was in the HOD room. I don't think I will ever forget seeing what I saw...), we waited for the individual results to be churned out. Once I took a set, I quickly scanned the results of all the pupils I know. Most of them did well - better than their expected aggregate scores. For 5B, most of them did better than expected in their L1R4, which was a class average of 24.6. But the actual class average was 19.1.
When 2.30pm arrived, and all the pupils were ready in the hall, sitting down and waiting with bated breaths for their results, I could feel their anxiety. It was really tense. Strangely, I don't remember how I felt when I received my own O-level and A-level results many years ago. I was probably anxious and freaking out as well.
After all the announcements and speeches were done, the names of the the top pupils were read out and the result slips were given out to the individual pupils. I stayed back until 5.30pm or so to talk to some of my pupils who were poring over their polytechnic booklets, checking up the courses which they were eligible for.
It was a day of intense emotions. By the time I got home, I was really exhausted. Somehow, though, I wasn't looking forward to the weekend. I guess I've been too tired lately.
jOyZ blogged at 9:55 AM
~~~~~~
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Exhaustion
I'm exhausted. I'm really sick of work. I'm sick of many other things too. In fact, I'm sick and tired of doing what I've been doing.
Interpret the above in whatever way you like.
Honestly, I don't think you care.
Neither. Do. I.
jOyZ blogged at 10:25 PM
~~~~~~
Friday, February 03, 2006
A Boring, Peaceful Birthday
Alright. I'm another year older. It feels terrible. I wish I were still 25. Actually... 21 for that matter. I don't feel my age. I don't feel any wiser or more experienced, although I know I am than when I was 21.
I can't say the day went well. Plans (that kept changing) were eventually cancelled and I was left deeply disappointed. I don't wish to say much about the unpleasant part.
The well-wishes came at the stroke of midnight - the first message from my dear sister, Mag, followed by my dear ex-monitress, Sherlyn and then Melody while Pikie called to wish me a happy birthday.
At school, before I even reached my form class, Huishian gave me a birthday present, which she shared with Jiayun. I was pleasantly surprised. Lessons went well enough. 4G, though released from the lesson late due to a writing test, sang me the birthday song before they left the class. It was heartening really. Some ex-pupils and friends from church sent me their well-wishes via SMS too. Thanks, people! Thanks for remembering.
After school hours ended officially, I contemplated staying on to finish up some work or to go straight home. Oh, sometime in the afternoon, I found an envelope in my letter tray. It was a card from a few ex-pupils. I didn't even know they came until I saw the card. Oh well... Eventually, I left the school only at 6pm to head to town to meet Cheryl who was with Rachel to discuss about insurance. Then on my way to town, I received a message from Junmin who had gone back to Hong Kong! That really made my day. I miss my best friend dreadfully. =(
Cheryl, Rachel and I settled at Paragon's Starbucks where they talked while I spaced out even as I received and sent messages on my handphone. After that, Cheryl and I went Centrepoint where Zhen'ai joined us before we all headed for dinner at Cafe Amigo at Specialist Centre. Dinner was nice. It was a pity I felt too bloated to have much of the dessert. I must go there again to have their dessert. =)~ Anyway, thanks to Cheryl for the generous treat.
And now, I'm home. I think I shall watch my precious VCDs. Hohohoh...
There you have it - how I spent my birthday. Boring, isn't it? Oh well, at least it's peaceful.
jOyZ blogged at 11:20 PM
~~~~~~
