a journey.

Shifted.

2006-08-13T00:00:00.000+08:00

http://www.schadenfreuded.wordpress.com

To England.

2006-06-20T20:45:00.000+08:00

This was one of the many, many beautiful and breathtaking moments of the trip. In fact, I’d say this would have to be one of the best. It was almost surreal – sitting in that wonderful cathedral with those young and melodious voices reverberating off the ancient walls and high ceilings. It was just so perfect, that moment. I won’t do it justice by trying to describe the atmosphere then, you would have to have been there to experience it.

Just a quick recap of the trip with its quirky moments:

Day 1

We arrived at London – Heathrow at about 530 am in the morning after a rather restless flight on my part which involved me spilling and splashing water on my two neighbours. I was rather surprised at the state of the world’s busiest airport; it looked from the inside just like any ordinary industrial powerhouse. I guess what they say is true, Asian countries house the best airports in the world. The cold and dry air stung me right in the face allowing me to regret once again on not bringing my lip balm. Another thing that struck me was the price of everything there. Pardon the use of language, but it was bloody expensive. It was a direct dollar to pound conversion, i.e. something that cost $1 here would cost a pound there. We basically bought mineral water at $3 each time and spent a minimum of $8 on food everyday. After the first few days, we all decided to stop converting if we wanted to spend anything at all. We traveled to Dover and Canterbury and stayed there for the night.

Day 2

We traveled to Hastings the next day via Rye and visited the site of The Battle of Hastings, the only time in history during which the English were conquered. We bought lunch from shop run by a Hong Kong couple and it was hilarious watching them while in the queue. We couldn’t understand them and vice-versa resulting in a rather time-consuming confusion. We went over to the Royal Pavilion and Brighton Pier in the afternoon. Apparently, England had won its first World Cup match so you could see half-naked people running down the streets in red and white. Brighton by the way is the gay-capital of England so we saw rather interesting behaviours from the pier. We spent the night at West Rock Hotel where we made friends with our Albanian waiter who served us a wonderful 3 course dinner. This turned out to be quite an interesting night. After showering, I realised, tried as I might, that I could not open the bathroom door. So I yelled out to Afzal to help me open it and he simply pulled it open with ease. I felt so stupid after that when I realised I was pushing the door instead. I shall not narrate the scary room incident lest it affects the parties involved although it was highly amusing. Hung out at the beach till bout 9 before going back.

Day 3

This wasn’t an exciting day to say the least. We traveled to Jane Austen’s house in Hampshire, then to Thomas Hardy’s home ay Brockton, then to Glastonbury and finally settled in for the night at Bath. While on the bus we played some yes-no question game and Indian poker which involved me being seduced by Benjamin Chee and Samantha stoking our tour-guides hair. The evening was spent on a comedy walk, Bizarre Bath, which was highly entertaining and resulted in a rabbit being thrown into the river. Oh, and not forgetting the secret bathroom Afzal and I used while the rest got stuck with the translucent cubicles.

Day 4

Another uneventful day as we toured Bath, visiting Jane Austen’s centre, the Roman Bath Houses and the Museum of Costumes. Lunch was amazingly heavy having found finally a Halal restaurant and was topped of with wonderful ice-cream from Cadbury Cocoahouse. This was the day which started off my streak of bad luck concerning the lock of my bags. On this day, I broke my first key after inserting it into the wrong lock.

Day 5

We traveled to Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon and visited Anne Hathaway’s cottage not far away. The afternoon was spent at Warwick Castle and the oh-so-thrilling-and-scary Ghost Tower which involved loads of unnecessary screaming mainly on my part.

Day 6

When I awoke at Corus Hotel, I could not find my suitcases keys! It was so irritating, first the broken key and now this. I was lucky to have prepared my clothes the night before or else I might have stunk the whole day. The day was spent touring Oxford University which was once again, breathtakingly beautiful. We saw the locations where Harry Potter was shot and stuff and it once again felt surreal. I couldn’t believe I was there. The afternoon was spent at Winchester Cathedral where I heard the heavenly voices shown above. It was amazing – the architecture, the atmosphere, everything! We arrived in London that evening and said goodbye to our tour guide David and tour coach and its driver Praveen.

Day 7

This was our free day. The morning was spent at Westminster Abbey before going down to Buckingham Palace to witness the Changing of the Guards Ceremony. It was rather grand, but it must be quite over-rated seeing that it’s performed everyday. It’s sad to see that the traditions of such an old monarch are being commercialized. On the way to the palace, we saw the royal family leaving the palace, including the Queen. The afternoon was spent at the Tower of London, home to the famous Crown Jewels. I took a video and a few photographs and got caught twice, but never mind! I have the pictures!

Day 8

The morning was spent at the British Museum and the afternoon and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre for a workshop and a performance. The play was very good. The evening was spent at the Tate Museum where art took an entire new definition for me. I mean, I think I can be an abstract artist too. Seriously, 1 guy put 9 chairs together and said it was art. It seemed if you gave meaning to your work, it was art!

Day 9

Another free morning! Went to the London Eye to catch a birds-eye view of the city and it was a view to behold. Although the fact that the only thing below you was the highly polluted and murky water of the River Thames! We went to bungee jump and went to the arcade after a weird urge to play on Bumper Cars. After a near miss at curfew time, we left for the airport. Witnessed a rather interesting argument at the SIA counter between this guy and the manager. Apparently this Belgium guy did not want to show his electronic ticket. On the plane, it was even more funny. There was this extremely huge guy who got stuck in his seat and requested for two seats so that he could lift he handlebar and have both to himself.

(The pictures can be found on my flickr account at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mansoor. I’ll have more pictures up soon once I get my hands of them. You see, I borrowed memory cards from people and took close to a thousand pictures.)

Singapore Idol? Right.

2006-06-01T21:19:00.000+08:00

Singapore Idol, for a lack of a better word, diplomatically speaking, has been highly embarrassing.

The English of both the contestants and the hosts has been nothing but broken. I don’t recall Jacintha giving any comments related to the quality of singing either. Our dear and beloved Mr. Gurmit Singh totally lacks the charisma and what-not needed to host such a competition. Well, if you could call it a competition. Given the level of the performances staged to date, it’s turning out to be more of a free entertainment service.

None of the songs they sang suited them. I think Ken was right, they just lacked the Western flair that is crucial to the song. Hmmm, maybe we should get them to sing all the songs from Taufiq’s (oh and by the way, his 7-Eleven Big Gulp advertisement is retarded) album. That would give them ‘hope’.

Let me ask you, what is the point of having 2 hosts? It is totally absurd. Okay, if you had two hosts for American Idol, it would be understandable, given the studio size (then again, it would seem more necessary at the Kodak Theatre, than anywhere else). But here?

‘Over to you Daniel.’ And Daniel Ong is 5 m away. I’m sure it would have looked rather retarded to the studio audience.

It seems as though they had no other questions to pose to the judges other than their opinions of the top 12. It’s no wonder Dick got rather irritated at the end.

Daniel Ong : ‘Quick with the results! I’m going to pee in my pants!’
Gurmit: ‘Really, let us see!’

Oh gosh.

They came across as though this was their first time on live television. To me, it has come across as a highly second-rated show so far, which is quite embarrassing, given Singapore’s standards.

Oh and Gurms?

The Feeling.

2006-05-24T20:31:00.000+08:00

You know that feeling of having more than 10 grand in your hands?

How the smooth paper slips through your hands, carrassing your fingers?

How your hand smells of ink after that?

Yeah.

It's a truly inspirational feeling.

Cogito, ergo sum.

2006-05-13T21:25:00.000+08:00

Yet apart from everything I have just listed, how do I know that there is not something else which does not allow even the slightest occasion for doubt? Is there not a God, or whatever I may call him, who puts into me the thoughts I am now having? But why do I think this, since I myself may perhaps be the author of these thoughts? In that case am not I, at least, something? But I have just said that I have no senses and no body. This is the sticking point: what follows from this? Am I not so bound up with a body and with senses that I cannot exist without them? But I have convinced myself that there is absolutely nothing in the world, no sky, no earth, no minds, no bodies. Does it now follow that I too do not exist? No: if I convinced myself of something then I certainly existed. But there is a deceiver of supreme power and cunning who is deliberately and constantly deceiving me. In that case I too undoubtedly exist, if he is deceiving me; and let him deceive me as much as he can, he will never bring it about that I am nothing so long as I think that I am something. So this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind.

- René Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, Meditation II

Cogito, ergo sum.

I am thinking, therefore I exist.

Not I think therefore I am.

Two Places at Once.

2006-05-11T21:17:00.000+08:00

I’ve finally realised what our taxes are used to pay for.

Oh the horror, the inhumanity, the cruelty of mankind!

That place is the most swanky place I’ve been to in Singapore. The lift’s have 2 television sets installed.

It has 52 stories. 12 sets of lift. The first 6 serve the first 36 stories and the second set serves the 36th to the 52nd story. Trust me, even with that height; I could feel the pressure change in my ears.

They have someone stationed to usher people into the lift in some formal language wearing a microphone.

Oh, and that place is full of Caucasians.

Okay, basically I’m talking about Capital Tower – Government Investment Corporation.

A few of us went down to the above place today to have a live-video conference with an American High School – the Passaic Valley High School, New Jersey. Well, what we basically did was to share more about the different lifestyles we lead and how the life of an average teenager is different in these two places. But somehow, the discussion, nearing the end, was concerned with capital punishment and whether it’s right or wrong. Well, we managed to attract one guy, to come down to Singapore. This is what he said:

Us: Oh, we can drink and smoke at the age of 18. (They can drink only at 21)
Abdul: I’m on the next flight to Singapore. I’ll bring along some gum also so that I can make some money selling them while I’m there.

On our side, we basically discussed the Singaporean culture and our love for studying. I put on my NCC top to showcase the uniformed groups in Singapore; other items included mahjong tiles, South Korean caps, chicken rice from the school canteen (bleagh.) and a few more. They were interestingly very curious about our law on chewing-gums. These are some interesting laws in New Jersey, some of which they mentioned, some of which I found out for myself –

Spray paint may not be sold without a posted sign warning juveliles of the penalty for creating graffiti.

Handcuffs may not be sold to minors.

It is illegal to wear a bullet-proof vest while committing a murder.

All motorists must honk before passing another car, bicyclist, skater, and even a skateboarder.

You cannot pump your own gas.

It is against the law for a man to knit during the fishing season.

It is against the law to "frown" at a police officer.

Car dealerships are forbidden from opening on Sunday.

You may not slurp your soup.

Automobiles are not to pass horse drawn carriages on the street.

It is illegal to frown as the town is a "Frown-Free Town Zone".

No street-side trees may be planted that "obscure the air".

It is illegal to throw ashes on the sidewalk.

You may not dance or wear shorts on the main avenue.

Citizens are not permitted to park their own boat on their lawn.

All cats must wear three bells to warn birds of their whereabouts.

It is forbidden for a woman, on a Sunday, to walk down Broad Street without wearing a petticoat.

Cross-dressing is illegal.

No one may annoy someone of the opposite sex.

It is illegal to offer whiskey or cigarettes to animals a the local zoo.

Climbing trees is prohibited in all city parks.

It is illegal to get drunk and annoy others in your house.

It is illegal to sell ice cream after 6pm, unless the customer has a note from his doctor.

There will be no boiling of bones on the property.

Pickles are not to be consumed on Sundays.

_______________

The technology was wow amazing. On our side, we were seated in a conference room environment while theirs was in a normal everyday classroom. Actually, I expected their environment to be more high-tech than ours, but the converse appeared to be true. Their classroom, or whatever it was, looked like a makeshift video-conference room. Ours, on the other hand, was, like I said, quite impressive. The camera would pan and zoom in on your face once you spoke, giving you a chance to see your face appear like-oh-so-huge on the screen. Super cool.

__________

In the evening, Terence and I went back to VS to just hang around and soak in the atmosphere. We brought along Carene, Britney, Nikhil and Lubin. We basically walked around and showed them the place. They were very impressed. Very impressed. The girls were like regretting not coming to VS (now we know what they did during the co-ed saga) And guess what they did –

The VS spelling cheer. Again and again, even while walking out.

And they wanted to do it again with the VS boys.

So watch out.

__________

My class’s (2E ’03) hard work in painting the Victorian Challenge mural is in vain. The mural has been painted over. Rationale anyone?

(Pictures of today’s GIC Video Conference are on my flickr account)

The Statues at Easter Island.

2006-05-10T21:29:00.000+08:00

The past few days have been intense, to say the very least.

First and foremost, congratulations to the PAP for having won the elections.

Again.

You know, if I did score a 66.6 % for my examination, I would be rather disappointed. Afterall it's only a B3.

School has become a reltively routine affair, now that investiture is over. But lo and behold, SDD calls. Publicity has commenced and positive remarks have been heard.But they response needs to be greater. It's okay, next week will be a much hyped out affair. For examples,refer yourself to my flickr account.

If a certain group of people in the council manage to get their idea approved, the current batch of Sec 4's - you are in for a surprise. A big surprise.

2 weeks to the end of term.

4 weeks to England.

8 weeks to Mid-Years.

The Inanimate Objects.

2006-05-01T19:14:00.000+08:00

Hmmm. Did I mention that I hate chairs?

Well, here goes.

I hate chairs.

But, negatives aside, the hall looks marvellous and that brought with it a strange afterglow filled by satisfaction.

It's been 4 months in JC life already and yet, our actual journey begins tomorrow. It's indeed amazing that in just 4 months we, the 23rds, have progressed from being Council Nominees to elects-to-be-invested-in-1-day's-time. SDD preparation and planning is picking up and it's not going to let up till December. It's been an overwhelming ride and I'm sure that it'll be over before we know it, just like it was over in VS. So people, treasure your moments in life, as you will miss them when they are gone.

Oh well, tomorrow's the day.

Those wonderful black tags.

To the 22nds, what you have learnt, you have passed down, what we have learnt, we will pass down. Don't you worry. You have left the council in good hands, hands that were 'made good' by you.

The PAP vs. The Opposition

2006-04-30T15:44:00.000+08:00

Disclaimer : The content contained within this publication represent the views and opinions of the author alone. They do not seek nor aim to influence, in any way, the opinions of Singaporeans. By proceeding to read this publication, the reader hereby agrees not to sue or hold the author in any form of legal responsibility or liability.

Hmmm. The party-political broadcasts, for a lack of a better word, were absolute gibberish, with the exception of PAP, in my opinion. Okay, let me rephrase that, the PAP’s broadcast included policies that were more specific and visions that were more clearly defined relative to the rest. The rest, pardon me, were absolutely irrelevant for the reasonable and intellectually and politically active man, although it could win them sympathy votes or even oh-my-god-the PAP-is like that, I must-vote-for-opposition votes.

The PAP highlighted its exemplary trck record and gave concrete and specific reasons why we should vote in their favour. They touched on issues concerning Singaporeans, e.g. employment, terrorism, medical care etc. They made and fulfilled promises in the past and are promising society once more. We know we can trust them. At the very least, they highlighted problems and proposed solutions.

On the other hand,

The Worker’s Party’s broadcast was not altogether that bad and comes in second behind the PAP’s. But all it did, primarily, was to question the PAP and accuse them of not doing this and that or vice-versa e.g. the PAP’s policies are a time-bomb, they are threatening Singaporeans, the PAP is more interested in promoting the party’s interest rather than the people etc. And nowhere in that entire their draft could you find any plausible reason why we should vote for them other than vote-for-us-because-the-PAP-is bad. (Oh and is public transport a national issue?)

The Singapore Democratic Alliance’s broadcast was neither here nor there. A very weak attempt on their part if you ask me. I expected more from Mr. Chiam See Tong after his party's much publicised article in The New Democrat.

Ah, and now we come to the highly acclaimed Singapore Democratic Party. Although highly entertaining, their ‘speech’ was absolutely, pardon me, nonsense. Oh look people, the PM is earning $160 000, 3 times the salary of the US President (Did they take into account the exchange rate?) and Minister’s are earning $100 000 a month. Okay, I admit, the salaries are indeed obscene given that there are low-income families. But we'll have to admit that they have been doing a relatively good job. But whether that is to used as a gauge to measure how much they are paid is an entirely different issue. I think you have forgotten that you are fighting in a Election and that the people have got enough problems on their minds without you adding more. What we need are solutions to the problems. Solutions.

The Opposition has merely been highlighting problems and criticising the PAP while failing to identify the crux of the issue which is to provide solutions.

Having said all that, human psychology is not to be underestimated and the opposition might just win some votes through their methods as ,afterall, they did keep people entertained. Furthermore, information like that of the SDP’s is more likely to be remembered than policies and visions etc. But if Singaporeans are aware enough, they would know how to selectively sieve out important and relevant information and cast a responsible vote on May 6.

But,we believe in fairness and everyone needs to be given a chance. We cannot effectively judge the opposition's competence because they have never been in power and if they are not given a chance based on this premise, we will find ourselves participating in a circular argument.But then again, we could always vote for the opposition and if they don't meet the mark, the President could dissolve the parliament and call for by-elections, like in Thailand. But we know that that cannot be risked. Politics is not a game. It concerns our lives. There's too much at stake, especially our fragile harmony and peace that was so intricately built and preserved.

As such, faced with the disadvantage of not having the people's confidence due to the lack of a track record, the Opposition will have to find other means by which to win the people's trust and prove that they can indeed be trusted with the responsibility of leading this nation into the 21st century. This cannot be achieved if the Opposition becomes prominent nearing the elections and dormant in the eyes of the majority the rest of the time.

The Big O's at Victoria School.

2006-04-23T12:36:00.000+08:00

(Video removed. Please view at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnLu2lRSzAI .)

I love 4A, don't you?

I took this on the day of the release of the results. It certainly does bring back pleasant memories. To think we worked hard for 4 years, just to see the light of this day. But, we did it, nevertheless.

To the current Sec 4's perspiring profusely at the thought of the exams, let this be a form of motivation for you and I'm sure you will do well at the end of it.

Good luck! (It'll be over soon.)

As we go to the polls.

2006-04-23T11:55:00.000+08:00

Ah. Don't we all just love these wondeful people who have shown us miracles after miracles in the past 40 years?

In order to persuade yourself that these noble men are indeed phenomenal or for advice and tips on how to emulate them, indulge yourself in the highly persuasive contents of 'Good Governance in Singapore', Social Studies 4.

After exposing myself to that chapter, my already good perceptions of the government were further strengthened. I went like, 'Wow'.

The article in The New Democrat was rather interesting albeit highly likely to be false as they were based on no facts at all. PM Lee's facial expressions and eye contact during the response to the article were even more interesting, but what he said was quite true, the contents in The New Democrat were rather foolish. They could have published some evidence at the very least. Now - aggravated defamation. Hah.

Ooo. I love this political drama. Don't you?

Is it just me, or are this year's elections more heated as compared to the past 10?

Galileo and VJC.

2006-04-20T22:24:00.000+08:00

Insecurity. Funny what this can lead to. Who is it that sets the perimeters that bound us to being acceptable in society? Us. Once again, a circular argument that makes no sense and will get us nowhere.

I was watching the television and asked myself this strange question. The programme was on homicide investigation and the guilty was sentenced to 3 life-imprisonments for 3 homicides. I then asked myself – Person A has committed 5 homicides and is sentenced to 5 life imprisonments without possibility of a parole. He dies in prison. Suppose he is reborn, and we are, somehow, able to conclusively determine that the newborn is indeed the person who committed those murders before in his ‘previous life’. He is perfectly able to recall his past life. Given as such, would it be fair to re-imprison this person once he reaches a suitable age?

‘If you come back so late, what about your other friends?’

And for the infinite time, I find myself praising and thanking God that I live so near the school.

We have not even been invested as councillors, and yet out workload is tumultuous, supported only at the 4 corners, support on the verge of snapping. We need a break! Haha, then coming up, we have SDD, and that alone will take up the entire span of this year, along with, once again, tutorials and not to mention, Project Work. I’m sure it’ll be a satisfying journey at the end, but till we catch sight of that shore, we remain in the vast expanse of the ocean, with no forms of life-support except one another.

But, these are, nevertheless, denizens of our exigent lifestyles, one that we chose to take up.

_____

And for your interest, on 4th May at 2 minutes and 3 seconds past 1 am, mankind, for the first time, be in a timezone never to be experienced by man again.

01.02.03 04.05.06

Okay, so maybe I exaggerated the first point, but you get what I mean.

The Escapist's Return.

2006-04-14T13:18:00.000+08:00

Before I divulge the craziness of the Sport’s Meet, my heartfelt congratulations extend to VS for having, once again, clinched the National Championship Title for both the C and B division. Congratulations also to VJ for having clinched the 3rd and 4th placing, but never give up guys, the race never ends.

And now, on to the scandal filled Sport’s Meet. Allow me to let you in on another secret. We were dismissed at 1210 yesterday (allowing me only to watch only a part of The Ascent of Man) whereas the meet was scheduled to start at 2. Over an hour, the school became a mighty fortress, providing no means of escape for the vibrant and emancipation-yearning hearts of 1800 Victorians. But despite the immense defence put up by the security guards and the vice-principal, they could not keep one person in.

Me.

Since they couldn’t keep me in, they couldn’t keep me out either.

This was indeed one of the most fun sport’s meet I commentated for. With nothing to ‘hold me back’, I let lose with whatever came to my mind. Too bad this can’t realistically happen outside VJC’s campus. This meet involved everyone, all the way from the bears of the Amazon to the general manager of Jumbo Seafood. The house rivalry was intense, especially between Aquila and Ursa, with Ursa nearly being fined for trespassing. The mascots, for a lack of a better word, were so cute, with the exception of Phoenix of course. Without a doubt, the cheerleading competition was the highlight of the afternoon, especially the scandalous performance put up by Ursa. Oh well, I’ll let what little pictures I took do the talking.(Forgive the quality of the pictures, they were taken using my phone's camera.)

Fugitive on the Run.

2006-04-08T20:34:00.000+08:00

I have sinned. I have broken the law. I have committed an act of utmost iniquity. I am henceforth a criminal, to be banished by society, never to be looked upon again as a man of integrity and virtue.

I forgot to pay my bus fare.

Forgive me, SBS, I shall gladly pay my 45 cents should you want it.

The 14 of us RECOians went down to Turf City today to reccee the venue for Wednesday’s Cross-Country Championships. There was not much for me to reccee, having been down there for last years championships. The atmosphere there was almost surreal, such quiet, undisturbed calmness that gave the impression of not having been influenced by the fast-paced lifestyle just a short distance away. As we were walking out, Terence mentioned that the place reminded him of Genting Highlands, and that reminded me of my rather interesting trip there a long time back.

We went to one of the theme parks for the day and after lunch, decided to have a go at the roller coaster. So, it was onto that purple roller coaster for all. It started of well enough, just like any other ride. But suddenly, the system broke down and the coaster stopped in its tracks. Time stopped for me. And before my very eyes, the roller coaster started rolling backwards, gaining speed. I immediately threw up, shutting my eyes, hoping for the best. And you know what the best thing was?

I wasn’t on the roller coaster.

___________________

If Einstein was alive, I’m sure he would die to meet me. I have managed to answer his life-long question of what would happen if one rode on a beam of light. I have solved that question, but in a different way. I have ridden and am currently riding on something traveling far faster than light.

Time.

It is impossible for me to imagine that at this very time last year I was still in VS going about my various duties as a student leader and managing my studies at the same time. Things have progressed so fast since then that everything seems almost like a dream. Stepping down from NCC and PB, Mid-Years, Speech Day, Prelims, Graduation Day and finally the O’s and before I knew it, I had graduated from secondary school, leaving behind what I knew to be the best four years of my life.

Even in VJ right now. In a matter of mere 4 months, we have become Council Elects, planned Orientation and are now awaiting Investiture; our Project Work has started to pile up, not to mention that tumultuous pile of tutorials and lectures that await my comprehension. Oh, and not to mention the planning of SDD that will start in a matter of days. JC life is not to be underestimated. From the looks of things, these are going to be the fastest, most demanding and most challenging 2 years of my life.

One wrong move, and I’m gone.

Why expect the sun to rise tomorrow?

2006-04-03T18:38:00.000+08:00

You can never prove anything in this world, merely disprove it. If you don't you've simply failed.We can never know anything for certain. Knowledge or facts are merely 'justified' true beliefs.

___________

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day.

VJ's soccer match has been postponed for twice in a row. Hmmm, maybe it's due to the fact that the 22nds are leading the cheers, as Yong Feng so boldly concluded.

Speaking of which, may I refer you to this particular video that was just put up on Cosiety-

Enjoy!

The Panopticon.

2006-04-02T11:28:00.000+08:00

I woke up extremely early on Friday. 0645 hrs, mind you, just so that I could reach school on time at 0710 hrs to attend my council meeting. Walking through the gates, what do I see, but flagpoles mercilessly drilled into the ground amongst the flowering essence of life. I swear, the first thought that went through my mind was, ‘Hmmm, they must want to accelerate plant growth with these sticks as supports.’ The reason, I eventually found out while walking out at 1109 (causing me to reach home at 1110), was, ‘We were feeling random’.

As expected, the school was in a terrible mess that morning. Detour signs all around, signs warning of falling objects, benches barricading the wash-basins, dustbins in the middle of nowhere and ‘locked’ Lecture Theatres amidst other. Yup, you guessed it. It was the eve of Aprils Fool. National Anthem by the Chinese Orchestra, pledge in Tamil, Victorian Anthem by a rock band got the day rolling. Excerpts from the days announcements:

‘National Service Medical Checkup: There will be a free circumcision service provided today for all able-bodied male students at the Math Resource Room at 5pm today"

‘The Guinness Book of World Records will be down at VJC’s tree houses today at 10 am to witness the performance of the loudest ‘Yo VJC’ cheer. Please cheer.’

How exquisite. New stalls were also opened, selling a variety of household goods, ranging from broccoli to lingerie (rumored to be courtesy of the VJC Staffroom). All in all, a rather interesting morning, to say the least.

VS had their Sport’s Day today. It has been 2 years since I started attending Sport’s Day as part of the crowd (on duty the other few years). I realised that it is rather an over-rated event, and many turn up simply for the sake of turning up. Nearly half of the school turns up in school uniform. The irony. But then again, can you blame them? Most of the participants are from Sports CCA’s, namely Track and Field, and guess who clinches most of the trophies? The heats, compared to VJC’s were pathetic. I only saw mostly trackers participating. It’s no wonder many were just roaming around VJ, and finally settling themselves down as part of the audience attending the launch of Artery. Then I go on to wonder, what purposes do houses serve in VS? There is absolutely minimal house spirit (I’m guilty of that) and why not? The houses only come into action during Sport’s Day and Cross Country and it comes as no surprise that some don’t even know their houses. The house system in VJ is worth emulating.

But in terms of school spirit? That, one must learn from VS. I mean, are there any rivals?

MusicFest – Rogue 2006. A rather glamorous night to say the least. ‘Mansoor, I want you to be at the VIP area and direct Felicia Chin’s car when she arrives (we were doing traffic, you see)’. Excuse me, but do I look like I watch Channel 8?

4212. The car she was to arrive in. 700. No Felicia. 720. No Felicia.It's okay, fashionably late, we understand. 730. Still no Felicia. From then on, excitement reigned everytime we saw any car. But soon, we were so irritated that those of us who had tickets went in for the show, while those who didn’t waited for her (Thanks guys!). She soon arrived in the middle of the show at 0754. 54 minutes late. It was about time. What do these people know about punctuality? She did get on people’s nerves yesterday.

The show by itself was ‘oh-my-god, WOW’. Fabulous emcees (John, hmmm, you come close, but not that close), wonderful voices, I’m-so-jealous dance moves amidst many exuberant and glamorous performances. I swear I saw a zombie playing the ‘organ’ during the teacher’s item. Haha. But, it turned out to be Mr. Ho. Haha. Everywhere around me, people were like ‘Erm, no need to votela, everyone else sure vote one.’ It was this attitude that caused unexpected groups to emerge winners. I still think the guys should have won the dance. Their footwork – fabulous. Another phenomenon which, I’ve gotten used to in VS, but saw it first in VJ. All of the performances got a tumultuous amount of applause, but when the Council Organising Committee was called upon, it was almost silent. The psychology of some people intrigues me sometimes. No one seems to value the backstage work people seem to do. I am assuming that the amount of applause is a judge of their appreciation. But still, some form of gratitude please. I’m sure it won’t kill you. And I’m sure this happens everywhere.

MusicFest marked the end of the road for the 22nds and the start of a new one for us.I'm sure it must have been a wild ride for you people, but you've done it. One year is almost over. You guys have done an excellent job,seriously.You guys have indeed left behind a legacy to be truly remembered and we now have to fit ourselves into your large, large shoes.

On another note, some people have absolutely ghastly manners. It was downright disgusting sometimes. Some of the guys were bursting cans of Coke (sponsored) by their feet in celebration, thus creating a mess.

X (Elect): Could you guys clean up this mess?
Y: Huh? Why should we? You are the council, the servants of the school, you clean it.

I’m not even going to say anything.

________

On another note, this is rather intriguing.

"I know we've made tactical errors, thousands of them, I'm sure," she said. "But when you look back in history what will be judged on is" whether the "right strategic decision" was made.”

Reporter: Some examples of the mistakes?

“First of all, I meant it figuratively, not literally. Let me be very clear about that. I wasn't sitting around counting," she replied. "The point I was making to the questioner ... is that, of course, if you've ever made decisions, you've undoubtedly made mistakes.”

-US Secretary of State

Hmmm. Then we have President Bush saying he’s worried about ‘a culture that devalues life’ and that he has an ‘obligation to foster and encourage respect for life in America and throughout the world’. That was his statement in response to his denying funds for stem-cell research because it destroyed human embryos.

Interesting.

Oh, and speaking of which, I'd like to quote my Malay teacher.

'Terrorists, in actual fact, are good people. Without people like Osama, terrorists,police, intelligence officials, security guards and medical personnel who cater to the victims will not have jobs.'

The Balance of the Yin and the Yang.

2006-03-26T10:30:00.000+08:00

Yet again, the wondrous revelation that time flies has manifested itself before me. 3 months have passed and now, we prepare to plunge ourselves into the deep end of the sea of knowledge, where each molecule of water is infused with a tumultuous amount of wisdom about the laws of nature that happen to show themselves in a new light everytime we indulge ourselves in them. In other words, lectures and tutorials are getting more and more confusing by the minute.

Highlights of the Past Week:

PW questions have been released. Choice between ‘Momentum’ and ‘Tradition’. I’m more inclined towards doing ‘Tradition’ at the present moment and so is the whole cohort. My teacher basically summarized the main events of the entire school year and squeezed it onto the whiteboard. It went something like this – PW PW PW PW PW PW MID YEAR PW PW PW COMMON TEST PW PW PW ORAL PRESENTATION PW PW PROMOS PW PW PW. How concise, don’t you think?

Attire regulations. Boys can’t have their pants too low; girls can’t have their skirts too short to save Mr. Seet the trouble of having a public confrontation at the bus-stops.

Certain unexpected people can be extremely irresponsible.

I’m not running for President of Student’s Council.

By-Elections speeches are over. From the resonant singing to the going-down-on-knees to ‘request’ for votes, I think you guys did rather well. It wasn’t that easy doing it, especially singing, in front of the whole school.

Notice a certain pattern? It’s all about school isn’t it? Hmmm, I wonder why.

_____

A rather interesting debate concerning the view on homosexuals came about yesterday in school, all because of someone’s rather conservative view on certain acts that took place during the PSL barbeque. It was 3 against 1 (X), 3 supporting the view that they should be treated like everyone else, and 1 having the view that they should be condemned. The reason being so – We are all humans, born into this world and there is a certain Law of Nature that has to be followed to prevent the disintegration of society. X felt that this Law of Nature was just there, and we had to follow it. I asked him, what made us obligated to conform to these Laws of Nature. No response. What do you think? Are the Laws of Nature just out there, and if so, what makes us obligated to conform to them?

So the debate went on, with the 3 of us arguing that homosexuals should be treated with the same amount of regard as everyone else. An attraction towards someone of the same sex is not something that they choose to happen, it just happens sometimes, just like it happens in heterosexual relationships. So why should they be condemned? They have done nothing wrong, affected no one around them, and they did not choose to be who they are. Its rather puzzling and perplexing that X can have such strong views against homosexuality as to condemn them entirely and citing their relationships as wrong, as something that will cause society to disintegrate. If you are willing to take this to an extreme, following the Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, homosexuality might well soon be able to allow reproduction. The progress of science has also allowed reproduction without intercourse. So how does homosexuality cause the disintegration of society?

Anyway, there is no reason why one should accept them, our beliefs and religions might not allow us to do so, but that does not warrant us to condemn and discriminate them in society. After all, what wrong have they done?

Interesting Mails.

2006-03-17T15:52:00.000+08:00

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

(Hardly seems worth it.)

If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.

(Now that's more like it!)

The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.

(O.M.G.!)

A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes.

(In my next life, I want to be a pig.)

A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death..

(Creepy.)

(I'm still not over the pig.)

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

(Do not try this at home. Maybe at work.)

The male pray mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body.The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.

("Honey, I'm home. What the....?!")

The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.

(30 minutes... lucky pig. can you imagine??)

The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.

(What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)

Some lions mate over 50 times a day.

(I still want to be a pig in my next life-quality over quantity)

Butterflies taste with their feet.

(Something I always wanted to know.)

The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.

(If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)

Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.

(OK, so that would be a good thing.)

A cat's urine glows under a black light.

(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

(I know some people like that.)

Starfish have no brains.

(I know some people like that too.)

Polar bears are left-handed.

(If they switch, they'll live a lot longer.)

Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.

(What about that pig??)

P.S. The parts in brackets are not by me =)

____

I received a picture which showed babies being cooked and eaten in Japan. Very, extremely gross.

This is no doubt disgusting and all other discriptors to that effect.I mean, how could cannabalism be condoned? Mad cow disease was caused by cows being fed cow parts. Urgh.

But this does bring forth an interesting question. Lets say an island is doscovered where the exact same thing is discovered happenning. The inhabitants of the island have no idea of the existance of the outside world, the know no laws, they know no 'morality'. Practising cannabalism is part of their, say, religious culture. The people discovering the island are disgusted by this practice and demand that they stop. Is this right? I mean, to the people of tha island, what they are doing is perfectly alright, it is their culture. And now people are enforcing this totally new ideology upon them. Is this right?

So who is right in this case, or rather what is right? Where do you draw the line between 'justice' and enforcing your culture upon another?

Elect's Camp '06.

2006-03-15T21:42:00.000+08:00

We were strangers on a crazy adventure
Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true
Now here we stand, unafraid of the future

A word to describe Elect’s Camp – overwhelming. I do not know why this camp was so different for me. The lessons I learnt, the facts I realised in this camp about myself and others, were more than any other camp I’ve ever attended. I do not why that was so – maybe I went into the camp with a different perspective, one that was more open and receptive. Or it may have been because the lessons were made far more evident to us in this camp. But the 1 thing that I can be sure of is this – we only get as much as we put in in any situation.

We were all given an egg at the beginning of the camp, which we had to keep safe with us at all times. It was a rather interesting, not to say, sometimes a rather irritating responsibility. For every egg broken, we were given 3 more. At the end of the camp, we had 19 eggs out of the 63 we initially had. 101 Ways to Break an Egg – Carene: ‘*screams* I was balancing it on my knee to drink water!’, Terence: ‘I’ll put it in my pocket. I won’t sit. The next minute…*scream*’. Despite it all, I’m sure the egg meant something ‘special’ to all of us at the end of it all. But the most important thing it represented was, and I’m sure all of us would agree, the fragility of the image of the Council, or any organisation for that matter. One wrong move, it shatters, never to be the same again. Not forgetting your hands smelling rather nice at the end of it all.

Day 1 started off rather well, but on a bad note. And I mean bad. We had a DISCernment Personality Test conducted by Mr. Goh. As it turns out, I was on a high D and I (higher on D), which basically means the following:

Dominance: People who score high in the intensity of the 'D' styles factor are very active in dealing with problems and challenges, while low D scores are people who want to do more research before committing to a decision. High "D" people are described as demanding, forceful, egocentric, strong willed, driving, determined, ambitious, aggressive, and pioneering.
Influence: People with High I scores influence others through talking and activity and tend to be emotional. They are described as convincing, magnetic, political, enthusiastic, persuasive, warm, demonstrative, trusting, and optimistic.

It was a rather accurate analysis, I think. I realised many things about myself, and many areas in which I could definitely use some improvement.

The toilet session later that night was, for a lack of a better word, wait, actually I can’t find a word that would accurately surmise that night. 40 minutes for 20 guys to shower in 6 cubicles, clean and wash the toilets, dry it, etc. We did it in 30 mins, so that was not too bad. But meeting the cleanliness expectations was another story. They wiped bread on the floor of the toilet and asked us to eat it.

The highlight of Day 2 would have to be the outdoor hike. We walked from VJ to Pasir Ris Park Spiderweb. SUSU, yeah, that is my group’s name (theme was constellations, go figure.) was HIGH all the way, despite Melanie’s bruised knee. We sang all songs known to mankind, okay, almost, walking along, jumping all smiling. And please, I don’t think that kid fell of his bike because I was singing. Haha, right? Nevertheless, we made it through together, high and spirited and completed it coming in second, behind Cygnus, who were initially our allies. Go Cysu!

We woke up at 410 this morning. We were to have our morning walk alone. It may have been in the dark, but this was different. It was a self-reflection session. It was very effective. Walking around and eventually to the beach alone in the dark. It was soothing. It is interesting the way the dark can give one solace and comfort. I sat by the shore looking at the satellites and the stars. Went through various issues in my mind, before joining the rest sleeping on the grass patch. Once the girls had joined us, we watched the sunrise together, although there was no sun to watch rise behind those clouds. It was indeed a moment to behold.

All said and done, this camp, despite its challenges, was, I’m sure, a truly memorable and meaningful experience for all of us. Ultimately, we went through it together and made it through together. The main objective, which, in my opinion was the instilling of a sense of belonging to each other and inculcating a sense of team spirit, was achieved. It’s definitely true that we will have no one else other than each other to turn to during our term. It will only be us doing what we do, and it will only be to each other that we can relate. The 22nds have really made an impression to me, and all of us I’m sure.Miss the camp in a strange way.To end of with a question Makoto asked during the campaigning period, ‘How will you guys step out of the admittedly large shadows of the 22nds?’

Well guys, that is up to us.

Come put your hearts
And souls together
For this battle must be won
Battle must be won
(Let this fire burn in our hearts)
We’ll win the final victory
And so much more
To show that Victoria
Is something more

Life Goes On.

2006-03-01T22:37:00.001+08:00

Planning for orientation has proved to be a very interesting and fun affair. From my singing which caused cup noodles to spill over to climbing over gates like villains at 1030 pm, we are all enjoying ourselves a lot. Coming home after 10 for the past few days because of school stuff e.g. Victorians Day, Orientation will leave me with a lot of catching up on sleep and tutorials.

The A-Level results were released today. Walking into the school in the afternoon, I saw the vans from the various news channels and reporters from all the major newspapers around. Ah, looks like we had a top student in our midst. And indeed we did. Roshni – 4A’s, 3 ‘S’ Paper Distinctions and A1 for both General Paper and Mother Tongue. The interesting thing about her is that she was already teaching Chemistry at VJ prior to the release of the results, just the next year after graduating – she is that good. The school was expecting her to top and she did not disappoint them. She aspires to become a teacher and will be going to Oxford to study Chemistry.

Assisting in the release of today’s results has indeed been an eye-opener. I’ve realised that your A-Levels could possibly be one of the most important exams you ever take in your life. PSLE is a stepping stone for a good secondary school and the O-Levels a stepping stone to a good JC. You’re A-Levels will determine the course you life will take with no turning back. All other exams, although important, don't hold the same importance as the A's. It’s do or die in your two years in JC, which frankly speaking is extremely, extremely short. Furthermore, getting straight A’s is no longer uncommon. As such, the pressure simply mounts.

Another interesting thing I found out today is that once you go to army, and your signature is required, if you sign on the line given or go out of the box, you are digging your own grave. You will face confinement and guard duty. No wonder all the bald guys today were so extremely careful in signing. Some were even shivering before they signed. So guys, better start practicing now.

‘We’re the Adhoc, the O2 Adhoc, we’re not sleeping tonight-‘

Take the Photographs and Still Frames in Your Mind.

2006-02-23T19:14:00.000+08:00

So, once again, it is back to the busy life. First up, we have Orientation 2.

It should prove fun. We have 10 days to plan an ENTIRE Orientation from scratch. Wish us luck.

We sang the Country Roads at Nominees Night last night. I closed my eyes and once again I was at Mawai, around the campfire, swaying to the song, arms around my fellow campers, just embracing the moment, the feeling of just being Victorian. That song will now bring along with it more memories.

Would you do it?

2006-02-21T20:15:00.000+08:00

Suppose a machine is invented, capable of providing us with any experience we desire. Prior to 'entering' the machine, we program for ourselves what we see as the perfect life for us. Our brain is then wired directly to a computer and we are put into a permanent, irreversible coma.

The computer stimulates our brains to believe that we exist in the perfect world we programmed, leading the perfect life. Once in the machine, your 'virtual' life would be indistinguishable from 'reality, i.e. you will not be aware that you are in a virtual world, to all intents and purposes, this would be your reality.Everything you experience, feel,smell, touch,see, taste and even your conscience etc. would be the same as before. You would have no memory of an earlier life.

It is a rather similar concept to The Matrix.

Given the choice,would you do it?

Investiture Woes.

2006-02-19T15:33:00.000+08:00

Seeing the Secondary 4 Student Leaders this year working tirelessly over these past few weeks in order to put up a good show for the Student Leaders Invest does indeed bring back memories. Just last year, at this time, my batch of prefects worked day and night just like the Sec 4’s now are, to put up a good show for the 23rd Prefect’s Investiture.

We went through a lot. Really a lot. The countless arguments, finger pointing matches which ended up in colossal break-ups (remember See Kiat, Jafnie?), slamming of doors which has left its mark on the wall, the meanest arguments arising from god-knows-what (remember See Kiat, Zul?), the never-ending rehearsals every Saturday during the so-called 5 day week, Johnnie’s desperate attempts to make us sing a reasonable version of the Prefect’s Song, the painting of the room yellow, prefects withdrawing on the day of the invest itself, and the list goes on. This went on at least 2 months prior to the investiture itself. I’m sure hardly anyone of us slept the night before the day itself. I, for one didn’t. I remember myself waking up constantly to jot down reminders for the next day. That night, I had a strange dream that the gift for the GOH had broken, a lo and behold, the next morning, Jafnie confirmed my nightmare. I still remember Jafnie rushing through the two PowerPoint presentations on the day itself, one of them not having even been completed the night before. Those were the times, they really were. Despite the fights, sweat and tears, we made it.

We really did.

‘This year’s investiture quite good aye.’ – Mr. Ang

‘Good job, boys. The best investiture I’ve ever seen.’ – Mr. Maran

Before the invest began, I was in Mr. Ang’s office with the GOH while the auditorium got settled in. ‘I heard you guys will be dancing?’ Mr. Ang asked me. The look of shock and incredulity on his face at that time was one to behold. But alas, the dance turned out to be the highlight of the show with cries for encore at the end of it.

Sadly, that investiture was to be the last. All I can say is at least we ended it off with a bang. Old traditions must make way for the new, isn’t that what they say? Traditions. The irony.

Listen to the rehearsal rendition of Soaring High here.

What's North of the North Pole?

2006-02-17T21:18:00.000+08:00

Council speeches were quite alright, I hope. I received many views after my speech, including one from Daniel who said that I was ‘scary’. Oh well, what can I say? Haha. CT walkabout is next week. That would have to be the highlight, if what I hear is true. It should be interesting.

I don’t qualify for the MOE scholarship. They require an aggregate of EL + MT/HMT + 5 relevant subjects to be less than or equal to 8. And to think I rushed through the application in 2 hours. I just hope the criteria for the VJC scholarship isn’t as stringent.

You know, I haven’t for once, since school started, found myself walking peacefully to school. I always find myself running; no matter what time I’ve to be in school. Surprisingly, I’m never late. The benefits of living so near are so enticing, don't you think?

The flu bug is, once again, making its way around town. It is so irritating. I can’t even hold a pen straight while writing.

The Allegory of the Cave:

Imagine prisoners who have been chained since childhood deep inside a cave. Not only are their limbs immobilized by the chains, their heads are chained as well so that their eyes are fixed on a wall. Behind the prisoners is an enormous fire, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised walkway, along which shapes of various animals, plants, and other things are carried. The shapes cast shadows on the wall, which occupy the prisoners' attention. Also, when one of the shape-carriers speaks, an echo against the wall causes the prisoners to believe that the words come from the shadows. The prisoners engage in what appears to us to be a game - naming the shapes as they come by. This, however, is the only reality that they know, even though they are seeing merely shadows of images.

-Wikipidea

Are we just like them, bound and made to believe in what we perceive as reality?

Be a Man.

2006-02-14T15:15:00.000+08:00

Excuse me, I am Mansoor from Pegasus and I am running for the Student's Council. I think that you should vote for me.

Happy Valentine's/Friendship Day!

Memories.

2006-02-11T09:08:00.000+08:00

It was a nerve-racking 6 weeks for students provisionally in JC, a feeling that intensified drastically on Friday morning. The obvious anxiousness amongst many was overwhelming and it did not help at all when you find the scores of some of your peers. It was difficult to pay attention during the talk on campaigning, knowing that in a few hours time, the next step of your life would have been determined, the next 2 years forged.

It felt refreshing to be back in VS. Seeing all your friends and peers again, for what may be the last time (for some). Some had changed, but most, remained the way I left them in. It was comforting to see everyone back again, sitting in the hall, in the two rows of their classes, Mr. Maran up in front, trying his best to organise us, all the teachers at the back, hoping for the best for us, after having done all that they could and even more in their short 4 years with us.

It brought back pleasant memories.

To see your friends, classmates in my case, being mentioned for having done extremely well. The suspense lingering in the air was immense, you could almost taste it if you tried hard enough. By 315, the results were out, and we could finally be at peace with ourselves. Tears of joy were shed, hugs exchanged, surprises expressed, congratulations offered. It brought along with it an immense feeling of satisfaction. The feeling of being able to finally complete another circle of our lives, of finally being able to move on and out of this circle with nothing to hold us back.

For what could be our last time together, the school song was sung, the spelling cheer performed, like only we could.Wherever each of us end up in the future, I'm sure that the school spirit will resonate within each and everyone. As Mr. Siow said on Graduation, we will 'live like the gentlemen that VS taught us to be.' There was only 1 way to describe the atmosphere yesterday.

It was Victorian.

After all’s said and done, I for one feel that our batch has done extremely well. We proved everyone wrong. We overcame all odds. We excelled in our CCA’s, brought the school to the very top and to top it off, we did not forget our primary goal in school. We did ourselves, our families and our Victoria proud.

Nil sine labore.
We felt but did not grasp
That truth, until the years.
The changing age confirmed severely:
Nothing without labour,
Nothing is for free.
You grew us well,
Mother of our youth,
Gave grave to toughness,
Tuned mind and feeling.
Our teachers scolded out of love.
We loved them with the fevour
That only mischief has.
We learnt quarrelled laughed,
Little enemies, great friends
In classroom lab assembly
Below the arches of the Hall.
Upon the tower built by Amin
Bock Hai and their scouting gang.
We shared ourselves, so
Found ourselves: Henry Aziz Boey
Soon Khiang Beng Keng Peter Poh
Guan Noordin Eric Heng Goe
Dhanabalan Teo Yong Chua Seng,
Among the intricacies of calculus,
Adverbial phrase, The Rover,
There was the steadying of the eye
As a though struck deep with beauty,
Or growing symmetry, sudden revelation
We did not feel the day go by
The faces appear each year
Along the corridors to labour, love,
Learn, They too will know
That here our better youth was spent,
That what we are was seeded then.
We do not return to you, mother,
Because we never really left.

Professor Edwin Thumboo
VS 1948 – 1953

The Class of 2005, we deserve a pat on the back, if I do say so myself.

Results.

2006-02-10T19:54:00.000+08:00

Okay, it’s been a long time.

I got 8 points.

English – A1
A. Math – A1
E. Math – A1
Physics – A1
Chemistry – A2
Biology – A2
Combined Humanities – A2
Malay – A2

I did not do myself justice in my humanities.

A2 for Malay, after getting B3 twice in a row.

Disappointing.

___________

Okay, Daniel, since you are so anxious, here’s the answer.

There is a monastery up on a mountain. There is only one winding path leading up. A monk begins his ascent up at 6am. He stops randomly along the way to take a rest when he is tired. He reaches the monastery after 12 hours. He stays there for 3 days. On the fourth day, he begins his descent at 6am. He, once again, makes random stops along the way to take a rest. He reaches the foot of the mountain in 10 hours.

Is it possible to prove that the monk will be at the very same place at the same time during both his journeys up and down?

Challenge your mind.

2006-01-29T09:19:00.000+08:00

Okay, maybe I'm bored, but have a go at these questions.

If a tree falls in a forest, and there is no one there to hear it, will it make a sound?

There is a monastery up on a mountain. There is only one winding path leading up. A monk begins his ascent up at 6am. He stops randomly along the way to take a rest when he is tired. He reaches the monastery after 12 hours. He stays there for 3 days. On the fourth day, he begins his descent at 6am. He, once again, makes random stops along the way to take a rest. He reaches the foot of the mountain in 10 hours.

Is it possible to prove that the monk will be at the very same place at the same time during both his journeys up and down?

________________

This is what I understand about E=mc2 so far.

E is for energy. M is for mass. C is for celeritas, representing the speed of light.

Mass and energy are different manifestations of the same thing, similar to water and ice. Mass, once annihilated, can be converted to energy by the process of nuclear fission and fusion. Hmm, finally realised the full implications of this equation and why Einstein said upon the ‘discovery’ of this equation that he regretted it.

One can never reach the speed of light. Only approach it. When approaching the speed of light, mass of the object will increase while it decreases in size. Mass increases because the extra energy supplied in ‘trying’ to increase the speed will be converted to mass. One can never approach the speed of light, because if it does, its mass would become infinite, which is not possible. Why does mass become infinite? Search me.

Time dilation occurs when you approach the speed of light, i.e. time slows down for you.

Okay, enough of being a physicist. I’m trying to look for an explanation of E=mc2 from the perspective of the Arts.

________________

Results will be out in slightly more than a week’s time. To be honest, I’m scared. Veryscared. Scared that I won’t be able to stay on in VJC. After more than 2 months of waiting for your results, paranoia starts to get to you.I don’t know what 6/8 February will bring. No one does.

I’m somehow obliged to agree with Terence’s New Year post. VJ is very different from VS. You know, I’m getting the feeling that I’m currently on a holiday which will soon end and I’ll be going back to ‘school’ (VS) in the mornings for assembly and then to 4A on the seventh floor for lessons. It might sound that I’m being too emotional, but what can I say? But, alas, that is not to be. Life goes on. I can’t let the past hold me back. Besides, my class is fun. Haha.

Anyone got any idea on what my campaign slogan should be?

Happy Chinese New Year!

As the day draws near.

2006-01-21T14:26:00.000+08:00

The OG barbeque at the beach proved to be rather an enjoyable affair, very much so.

As we were walking along, I, as usual, stopped to take some photographs. Shukri, at that point in time, was not feeling too comfortable and hurried me along. At around 10 that evening, as we were talking in a circle, Shukri made the revelation that he had a third eye. While I was taking this photograph, he claimed to have seen ‘people’ standing around me and watching me in earnest. And while I was lying down to take another photograph, there was another ‘person’ lying down next to me, staring at my face. Some even intended to follow me. Most of us were sufficiently freaked out.

An interesting walk home followed that night.

While walking along the path behind VJC, one of the lamps suddenly went out, echoed by shrill screams. Britney, I’m still sore from the number of times you slapped me. Haha.

Lessons have finally kicked into full swing. My class timetable is crazy, as I’ve mentioned before. There are 9 different subject combinations in my class, which gives me a total of 16 free periods every week. The subjects are proving to be interesting enough. Economics, however, is proving to be entirely different. Time practically crawls by in any Economics lessons. I mean, who would actually ‘lecture’ students while sitting down and reading from notes that everyone already has? My sincere and heartfelt thanks go out to Yupi Gummies.

We did this rather interesting poem during Literature:

Giant Puffballs by Neil Rollinson

Can I make it home, or do I shit
in the woods? I squat above the moss,
breathing its pheromones, my scrotum
shrunk like a walnut in the cold breeze.
I push quietly in case the dogs
on their morning walks come sniffing.
It drops on the leaves
with a muffled thud, and the smell
is like marzipan, not offensive
as it is against the clinical spruce
of the ordinary bathroom. It steams
in the dirt; the undigested sweetcorn
bright as stones in a brooch.
Coconut milk, rice from Shanghai,
spice from Afghanistan,
all remaking itself; feeding the trees.
I clean myself on a sycamore leaf,
smooth as a grocer's handkerchief.
And then I see them: pregnant
as fish bowls, weird as a hedgeful
of skulls. I pull one out of its hole
gentle as a midwife, palping the domed
head in my hands; I carry it home
on the bus; it sits in my lap
like a baby, plump, bald as an arse,
smelling of milk and cinnamon.

The date draws nearer. 8 February 2006. The moment of truth.

Pictures from yesterdays barbeque can be found here.

Religion.

2006-01-17T16:23:00.000+08:00

ODAC Back to Basics Camp was the best camp I’ve attended to date. Although throughout the course of the camp, the word unlucky was redefined for Cheetah, the camp was well worth the experience. The laughter and happiness we shared when we won the Field Cooking Competition to the tears and fatigue that enveloped us as we raced down East Coast Park will bond us together, making us more than just ‘Hi’ and ‘Bye’ friends. So here’s to Audrey, Jiamin, Carmen, Rui Yi (I still think you’re crazy), Xavier, Jeffrey, Dennis, Cher Li and Sherene. Thanks for making this a wonderful experience for me. I still have some chocolate left. Haha.

I’m reading this book by A.C. Grayling, The Meaning of Things. Here’s an excerpt:

‘Science has often been perverted to bad uses – bombs and gas-chambers – but it is politics and politicians, not science and scientists, who do that. Religious belief, meanwhile, whatever it might do in comforting the fearful in the dark, has always and everywhere brought war, intolerance and persecution with it, and has distorted human nature into false and artificial shapes. ‘

He puts across the following excerpt as one of the reasons why religion exists:

‘…it rests on the natural ignorance, stupidity, supertitiousness and gullibility of mankind.’

Interesting views he has. What do you think?

Mud Fight.

2006-01-09T20:25:00.000+08:00

So today marks the ‘final’ day of orientation. Saying the Sea Sports Carnival was good would be an understatement. For those who actively participated, it would have been extremely, extremely fun. We went about the various stations with our Orientation Groups, and the activities today brought us even closer together as a team. It is indeed sad to know that we won’t be together from Wednesday onwards. On the first day of school, we faced each other as strangers, not knowing what to say to each other, and now at the end of orientation, we find ourselves extremely comfortable in each others presence.

It was an extremely enjoyable morning, to say the least. The sun was blazing down ever so brightly. The mud fight we had was incredible and was most certainly the highlight of the day. Running around barefooted, in the slippery and sticky mud, making mud balls to throw at each other, sticking your hands in the mud and making hand prints on each others clothes and not forgetting styling each others hair with mud. By the end of it all, I was a sight to behold. Streaks of mud on my cheeks and everything.

Then it rained.

We rushed back to school and ,for the millionth time, I was thankful that I lived so close to school. I was able to rush back home to get a hot shower while the rest rotted in the school showers. Haha. We had mass dance after that. I don’t know how long it’ll take for me to master all of them. The more I do them, the more confusing the steps seem to get.

Von Vitch went to Suntec for lunch after that. We sat and talked, for nearly 2 hours. We joked and laughed at Shukri’s jokes and my intellectual questions. The time just flowed past us as we relaxed in each others company and just talked and laughed. It was nice. A nice way to mark the beginning of the actual JC life. I nearly fainted when I saw my timetable. It’s crazy. Latest I end is at 1725 and the earliest is at 1430. Crazy. Pure madness. This will need some getting used to. I hate myself for having to continue Malay.

Things have a funny way of coming around, don’t they? Just last December, my family was planning a trip down to Iraq. Everything was confirmed and I had to spoil the plans by announcing the PAE schedule. So the trip was cancelled. And now, those who went have suffered near death experiences with bomb attacks on their buses and stuff. Things always seem to happen for a reason, though that reason might not be clear in the beginning.

‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ by Mitch Albom is good.

The Final Battle

2006-01-07T00:28:00.000+08:00

And so, after all the hype about the orientation and becoming comfortable with girls, here we are, at the end of the orientation and awaiting an exciting and exuberant curriculum. But before I go any further, let us get one thing clear:

VJC Orientation 06/01 ROCKED! The best and most engaging orientation I’ve attended.

Let me just do a brief recap about yesterday. Nothing really exciting happened, just the usual team bonding games, cheering sessions and mass dances. And guess which the VS guys enjoyed the most? Yes, the cheering sessions. All of us crowding around a table, standing on chairs, hitting buckets, stamping on the floor, all sweaty and wet, cheering our hearts out. It was called ‘The Crunch’. The atmosphere was there. Everyone and I mean everyone, cheering their hearts out in one voice, for their school. That was Victoria’s Secret. The Victorian Spirit which was and will be within each and everyone of us. As Nazri put it, all VS cheers are VJ cheers, but not all VJ cheers are VS cheers.

Oh, and I got offered KI and I will be taking it. It should prove to be exciting, so let’s see how it goes.

I went for the Sec 1 Orientation Campfire in the evening with Jonathan Samraj. I had high hopes. He had high hopes too. But seemingly, our hopes were dashed. The standard of the red shirts has dropped. Tremendously. From what it used to be, there no longer remains even a point for comparison. Things are changing. And very fast at that. For the worse or the better, that, I still have to figure out.

Okay, so now on to today. My house is Pegasus, and after assembly, we went to our ‘classrooms’ (which are air-conditioned, yay!) and met our senior class. Passing on the flame of tradition, the played a prank on us. It was super convincing. Seriously, they scared the hell out of us. There’s a reason there’re in TSD. Following that, we went to the hall, and continued with the usual games which consisted primarily of the outdoor station games and the Treasure Hunt.

The Orientation this year ended of with the Final Battle between the evil Emperor Momo and the Victorian Superhero Academy. Valhalla clinched fifth place with Thor emerging champions. It could easily be seen you know, the amount of hard work and effort but in by all the organizers, i.e. the SC, OGL’s and everyone else. They sacrificed so much just for us. Came back during the holidays just to make sure we had fun. But no matter how tough it was, I’m sure seeing us have fun made it all worthwhile. But a very big thank you to all!

The entire JI cohort went to the Fountain of Wealth for the mass Mass Dance. And we had crowds gathering, staring at us with their mouths gaping open. It was a sight to behold. 600 plus students attired similarly, cheering in one voice, moving to the same beat, under the starry night sky. Running circling the fountain cheering and being cheered on by others. It was truly an evening to behold. No words can express the atmosphere and energy that was generated just a few hours ago. You would have to be there to feel it. I took a few pictures and videos and will upload it soon.

So I guess this is the end? It’s funny, don’t you think. Let’s take my OG for example. On the first day, we hardly knew each other, making the day seem very boring and dull. And now, just as we were becoming comfortable in each other’s company, it’s time to part. I think some of us take the people round us and their company too much for granted. Cliché isn’t it? And that’s what nearly everyone will say upon hearing it, before putting it off as nonsense.

Oh well, at least we have the Sea Regatta to look forward to on Monday!

Oh, and suddenly, people are thinking that I look very ‘sporty’. Me? Right.

I am five, maybe six
My head turning away
Refusing to look at the shutter
Fearing that I would be left alone in that hour, that minute
That second.
Light.Darkness.Another album that is forgotten.

Now I am 17 and aged.
I find the photograph one day, and I stare at my own eyes
Eyes unblemished by adolescent angst
Without worries, without rage
Eyes of peace, eyes of hope.
Suddenly I long that tomorrow would become yesterday
And I am five or six again.

-Makoto Kawaguchi (VJC – 05A52)

Nice, isn’t it?

Time flies too fast.

Seize and embrace the moment before you yearn for its presence in its absence.

Beware of Flying Objects 2

2006-01-04T18:55:00.000+08:00

Second day of orientation, and I’m on the verge of losing my voice.

Orientation today, for a lack of a better word, rocked! I think the ‘blandness’ yesterday was due mainly to the fact that we hardly knew each other and stuff. But today, being familiar and comfortable with everyone else really did make a difference. Games were much more energetic and enjoyable.

CCA Walkabout was after lunch. I signed up for the Student’s Council, Outdoor Activities Club, Kayaking, Drama and the Debate Team. They repeated last years forming of fake CCA’s and students who signed up were forced to perform a forfeit later.

I fell for it.

I signed up for the Personal Grooming Club. Oh man. When I first went to the booth, I suspected something amiss and asked if this was a real CCA, and obviously they said no. So stupid, gullible me signed up for it. Argh! When I found out, I went back, wanting to cancel my name, but decided not to, after seeing a ‘star’ marked beside those who had cancelled their names. While I was there, I corrected various pronunciation errors that the OGL’s (all of them were OGL, another indication) made, e.g. ‘sarcasm’ and ‘etiquette (the irony!)’ After that, one of the OGL’s came hunting for me, bugging me for my name. I was so paranoid. But in the end, I guess my paranoia got the better of me, as I wasn’t called on stage. Hah!

Following that, we had the Cheering Session. Most of the cheers were very similar to VS’s one with the ‘S’ changed to a ‘J’, so not surprisingly, the VS’s guys had no problem with the cheers. But I can safely say one thing, today, we, the Year 1’s had the spirit! No question. The only new cheer was, ‘Yo, VJC!’ And I particularly liked the part that went:

‘…put them together what do they spell;
‘C’mon everybody let’s hear you yell…’

I just loved the way that sounds. We played another game after that. Every team had to send up a representative with the longest ‘something’ on stage. I went up, my group thinking that the ‘something’ was legs. Right, fat hope! Haha. It turned out to be the ‘longest breath’. First try, 11 sec. It was so embarrassing, so I tried again. 22 sec. I’ll admit that I’m hopeless. Then followed the person with the biggest something which turned out to be ‘ego’. Hilarious. Some people boasted biggest manhood, some even womanhood! Then the guy, who won, came up and said, ‘I expected it.’

Then we had the Mass Dance session. Oh and was it fun! The moves are so bloody confusing, and they taught us 2 dances in the space of about an hour. How do they expect us to know it well like that? Argh. Some of the moves were simple enough; the rest will need some getting use to. I love ‘Whiney whiney’. IP people, better teach me!Haha. It’s so fun!

I am seriously confused whether or not to run for the Student’s Council. I’m being exposed to so many different opinions. I don’t know, I seriously don’t know whether or not to run. I’ll have to make my decision soon enough though.

Got the VJ PE attire today though!

Looking forward to Sec 1 Camp campfire tomorrow.

P.S. Those having problems with mass dance can attain more information @ http://www.vjcmassdance.cjb.net/.

Victorian Superheroes 1

2006-01-03T20:32:00.000+08:00

The holidays came and went. School has started, and before I know it, Junior College will be over too, and from there, my test will truly begin.

First day of Orientation 2006. The amount of effort put it by the OGL’s was clearly visible. All those huge banners and brand new cheers leaves me wondering how you spent your holidays.Despite that, I found today’s activities rather bland and ‘common', just like all ice breaking sessions are. Nevermind, it was only the first day, let us see what the next 3 days bring. But today’s activities certainly paled in comparison with VS’s orientation programme. Or maybe it was because I've been a participant after a long time. Fashion Parade was cool, certainly interesting. Ice breaker games were rather fun. This fellow, David, from China, has the most terrible memory of anyone I’ve ever seen in my entire life. He even fell for my calling out for a person who does not exist during Whacko. I was forced to perform an act which I rather not disclose for fear of everlasting torture. (Daniel, you had better not blackmail me!).

My team also played a rather interesting game, which I’d like to highlight. We were given a teddy bear and told to perform something intimate to it. We were then to pass it on to a girl and remember who that girl was. When Han Loong’s turn came, he, being as sick as always, stuck his finger in between the bear’s leg, rather unashamedly. Then came the twist, we were to perform whatever we did to the bear on the girl who received the bear after us. Haha, I’d rather not go into details on what happened next.

On a brighter note, I managed to catch up with various primary school friends who, coincidentally, are in my Orientation Group. Surprising how much people can change in just a matter of a few years, for the better or, for some, the worse. Made plenty of new friends, though. After having been in a boy’s school for 4 years, I guess the introduction of girls will need some getting used to.

And now, the highlight of the Orientation – Day 1.

Knowledge and Inquiry Aptitude Test.

‘I’m sure many of you have heard how difficult and scary KI is, and I’m here to confirm your suspicions.’ – KI teacher before briefing.

I sat for the test, thinking it would be worth the try and the experience if I got selected into the course. First came the multiple choice section, 25 questions in 1 hour. Example’s of MCQ’s:

‘…how far does this statement, if true, weaken the above argument?’
‘…what is the underlying assumption in this argument?’
‘…what is the flaw in this argument?’

Some people did not even bother to sit for the essay question, having been completely turned off by the MCQ. Not surprising, considering the questions. I stayed on, thinking, might as well.

Argument on ‘Reason’, by A. C. Grayling is given.

‘What is the main point the author is trying to make…is his argument convincing…why?’

Faint. I’m not having any hopes of being selected whatsoever.

While collecting the test scripts, he said something to this effect:

‘These are exam scripts. You cannot bring this out of the LT. If anyone is caught having the papers with them, *insert threatening silence*, I will get them from you’. Oh man, people usually say, ‘You’ll get it from me’, but this guy, complete opposite. Reminded me of Mr. Oh.

First day of school, and I kind of miss VS. I think Jonathan was right, VJ would be different.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Remember, Beware of Flying Objects!

Caucasian.

2006-01-02T11:51:00.000+08:00

Cau·ca·sian (kô-kzhn, -kzhn) adj.

Anthropology. Of or being a major human racial classification traditionally distinguished by physical characteristics such as very light to brown skin pigmentation and straight to wavy or curly hair, and including peoples indigenous to Europe, northern Africa, western Asia, and India.

So, I guess I used it wrongly in my previous post, just like most of us have been doing.

Anyway, guess what, I'm Caucasian!

2006

2006-01-01T12:12:00.000+08:00

Just like orange is the new pink,
Orchard was the new Little India last night.

It was filled with Bangladeshi workers who roamed the crowded streets foaming anyone and everyone. It soon evolved into a Chinese vs. Bangladeshi Foam Battle, and some were pretty serious. As always, there were spoilsports.If only looks could kill. Me, I got foamed too and for once in my life, I experienced the feeling of being 'white'.Even the policemen (some) who were supposed to be on 'security patrol', were holding foam cans. Oh well, I guess everyone needs to let loose once in a while.

The Class of 2005 has officially graduated from Victoria School. Class of 2005.The first time I heard those words,I felt a strange sense of forbidding. It was the first time we were addressed as such and that made it real to me, unlike anything else, that our 4 years were finally coming to a close. And now,finally, it has.

Happy 2006!

Dilemma

2005-12-30T23:05:00.000+08:00

CCA Orientation today turned out rather well frankly.Things like these usually do.For me and my batch (although this year's orientation had nothing to do with us), so far at least,even without planning, things can turn out rather well.The Cultural Groups started blasting their music once the parents left the hall and naturally I was afraid of a deja vu of last year when all the parents stayed in the canteen to be entertained and as such missing out on all the other CCA's exhibitions. Fortunately, this year was different.

I was in the hall when Mr. Lim walked up to me and asked, 'So, will you be a slave in VJ too?' I just stared at him.

I am in a dilemma. Which should I choose?

Rude

2005-12-30T19:54:00.000+08:00

I was cycling to the beach and happened to accidentally bump into this Caucasian fellow. Naturally,I said sorry and he turns around, red-faced, stares me in the eyes and says, 'F*** you, asshole.'I was like what the hell.What's his problem?

Some people nowadays.

Valhalla

2005-12-30T00:12:00.000+08:00

I received a call from my OGL (imagine them calling up all the new students.gosh) and she told me everything I needed to know about the first day of school, right down to the $2 that I have to bring for lunch. Theme is Superheroes and I am in Valhalla. It's supposed to be a Viking according to my OGL, but I researched and it is actually the 'home for those slain gloriously in battle'(Wikipedia). OGL's name is Yue Woon and I'm still trying to learn how to get the pronunciation right.She made a rather strange remark:

'Starhub reception in VJ sucks so don't try and contact me when I'm in school.'ThisI'll have to see for myself.

1 day, 23 hours and 38 mins before 2006. A new year, a new life.

Time.

2005-12-27T13:30:00.000+08:00

Time. It really does fly, doesn't it? It's already the 27th.Yesterday was the 26th. That very time last year, the world watched upon in horror as thousands upon thousands of lives were lost to the sea.Today, one year on, we see the countries that were,only a year ago, shredded to pieces,picking up where they left off.For many,if not all,of them,their lives was never to be the same again. From 8.16 am on the 26th of December 2004, a part of their lives had been lost forever. For some, the part lost was their families, for some it was their homes. But something had most certainly been lost that day, something that could never be replaced, something that would leave an everlasting hole in their hearts. We saw the world come together, joining hands, visioned for only one goal,to rebuild their lives. And now, these survivors, though still traumatised,are rebuilding their lives and moving on, slowly, but surely.As for me, I'm wondering to myself, trying to assure myself that indeed, it has been one year since that tragedy.I can't get myself to believe it, but yes indeed, it has been one year. Fast, isn't it?
I was looking through Terence's Graduation Day photo album.It made me tear.Especially the one of us having assembly in the parade square.Just two months ago, I was part of that assembly, and now, when I look at those pictures, I find myself wondering if I was really one of them.I feel different now, somehow or other.Just that day, during the Sec 1 Registration exercise, I somehow just did not feel like wearing my school uniform.Don't get me wrong, but I am just feeling different.Everything suddenly feels so foreign to me. Maybe its just the effects of time. Who knows? I am, we all are, about to start on the next phase of our lives. 4 years of tears and laughter,joy and sorrow later, most of us will be heading our seperate ways, not knowing what life would hold in store for us. We will soon be embarking on a journey, a 'journey beyond the shoulders of giants' (Graduation Day Theme '04).
The Class of 2005 will meet again in the month of February, to collect our O's results.All of us will be different then. That faithful day will reveal to us the results for which we've worked tirelessly for for the past 4 years.Frankly, I'm scared.Paranoid.From then on, we all will finally begin on our new journeys, some of us together for another two years, for some, it will be goodbye with wishes that our paths will cross again in the future.
Anyways,I went to watch King Kong a few days ago, pretty slow,but, I watched it for free.The sound was pretty bad, changing from bass to mono every half and hour or so.We went to complain and got ourselves a full refund of $9.50.The movie was very good. The imagery and cinematograhy was simply superb.The plot by itself was very touching and exposed the harsh realities of life and how cruel mankind can get just for the fame and fortune, even if it is at the expense of others, be it man or animal.The emotions of sadness,love and vulnerability could be seen emanating from King Kong's eyes, emotions in which you could drown yourselves.Albeit rather long, it was well worth the money (oops!).Haha.