When I flipped through the school annual, I was eagerly looking for the photo of the Peer Leaders.
To my dismay, there was no such photo. Neither was there any section devoted to the Peer Leaders.
I utterly exploded within me. Miss Shawna, standing beside me, took the year book from me and tried looking for it too, while I muttered unspeakeable words in the air.
I had already told them last year. Yet this mistake has been allowed to happen again.
I'm boiling because I know my Peer Leaders will also be asking questions about the obvious omission. They want their photo to be up there. For goodness sake they've done a lot for the school. It is also bloody obvious that the PLs mean a lot to me, simply because I have unshakeable belief in their capacity to serve the school day in, day out.
Needless to say, I am not one to hide my feelings. My colleague in the editorial committee bore the brunt of my agitated questioning. I asked her, 'Where's the PL photo in the yearbook?'
I was raging deep inside. Those students who collected the IHG Captain's Ball medals from me had no idea. Those students who sat through the English Paper 2 papers with me in the Concourse had no idea.
Nobody has any idea how mad I was.
What am I supposed to say? It is obviously a mistake, but I know not who is responsible for this glaring error.
But I will find out.
When something's not right, I do not intend to let the matter rest. I will rectify it.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
About my thoughts recently
The amount of work coming to me has been simply relentless.
Tomorrow's big event is just one of many projects that have come my way.
Over the next two months I can hardly see a window of time when I can truly sit back and relax. Sometimes I cannot bear to think anymore, when I've been thinking and planning so much. My mind's just so drained.
And then there's the line-up of races I've signed up for myself. Some are plain crazy, like the seventy-something storey Vertical Marathon up the Swissotel next month. There's the Osim Coporate Triathlon to train for. There's the 15 km REAL Run coming up in 2 weekends. And there's the small matter of the Stan-Chart 42km marathon in December. Just 3 days ago I completed a 2-hour run non-stop and man, it felt great, just to know that my body is getting stronger with every step. Every training run is going to help. These runs along the beach are like a dyke that protects my sanity from the eroding waves of work that keeps coming and coming and coming.
Sometimes, I sit back and think about my job, my family, my life, my faith, and then I realise that no matter how exhausted or how overwhelmed life can make me, I must then think this way: for every tough day life may deal me, I must remember the ten, twenty blessings that God has blessed me with. And then, once it becomes apparent that I am blessed, I need not be bothered anymore with unfavourable or tough circumstances, because I know I will come through them victoriously.
My thoughts are also with my dear students who are due to sit for the O Level examinations in a matter of days. It is good to see so many students who are disciplined enough to study everyday. It is brilliant when students come for the lessons during the special timetable and use the time wisely to get useful practice for those subjects. For my own class 4E5, it is very obvious - Ms Kum and I want each and every one of you to do well in the coming exams.
In particular, I am very inspired to see Peixuan and Yisan faithfully sitting in the Concourse, pursuing teachers to clarify their doubts and review their practice papers. The teachers are simply delighted to be able to help you, because you have an appetite to learn. Ask and it shall be given.
I am sure many others are studying hard too. Don't stop! If you're feeling tired and want to give up, tell yourself to snap out of it.
Remember, it's not over until the time is up for the very last O Level paper. Till then, make sure you are 110% prepared for every subject you sit for.
Finally, the one thing on TV that I look forward to with a keen sense of anticipation is the ongoing Rugby Union World Cup. I'm not ashamed to declare that the team I'm supporting is England. It has to be, having lived there for 4 years.
Having seen them hit rock bottom by their hapless hammering by South Africa in the group stage, England have risen from the ashes to knock out Australia in the quarter-finals and France in the semi-finals. The funny thing was, nobody gave England a chance. I think the Englishmen's victory over the mighty Wallabies showed the world what resilience and tenacity is all about. It would be good for my basketball boys to watch their matches.
The final is coming up, and they will meet South Africa in the final. It's a re-match. I am not sure who will win, since South Africa is one of the best rugby nations in the world, in the same league as Australia and New Zealand.
But if the English play with the same passion and heart, then I am sure South Africa will find it very tough.
My prediction? England to win, with the handsome Jonny Wilkinson scoring the winning points.
Go catch the match!
Tomorrow's big event is just one of many projects that have come my way.
Over the next two months I can hardly see a window of time when I can truly sit back and relax. Sometimes I cannot bear to think anymore, when I've been thinking and planning so much. My mind's just so drained.
And then there's the line-up of races I've signed up for myself. Some are plain crazy, like the seventy-something storey Vertical Marathon up the Swissotel next month. There's the Osim Coporate Triathlon to train for. There's the 15 km REAL Run coming up in 2 weekends. And there's the small matter of the Stan-Chart 42km marathon in December. Just 3 days ago I completed a 2-hour run non-stop and man, it felt great, just to know that my body is getting stronger with every step. Every training run is going to help. These runs along the beach are like a dyke that protects my sanity from the eroding waves of work that keeps coming and coming and coming.
Sometimes, I sit back and think about my job, my family, my life, my faith, and then I realise that no matter how exhausted or how overwhelmed life can make me, I must then think this way: for every tough day life may deal me, I must remember the ten, twenty blessings that God has blessed me with. And then, once it becomes apparent that I am blessed, I need not be bothered anymore with unfavourable or tough circumstances, because I know I will come through them victoriously.
My thoughts are also with my dear students who are due to sit for the O Level examinations in a matter of days. It is good to see so many students who are disciplined enough to study everyday. It is brilliant when students come for the lessons during the special timetable and use the time wisely to get useful practice for those subjects. For my own class 4E5, it is very obvious - Ms Kum and I want each and every one of you to do well in the coming exams.
In particular, I am very inspired to see Peixuan and Yisan faithfully sitting in the Concourse, pursuing teachers to clarify their doubts and review their practice papers. The teachers are simply delighted to be able to help you, because you have an appetite to learn. Ask and it shall be given.
I am sure many others are studying hard too. Don't stop! If you're feeling tired and want to give up, tell yourself to snap out of it.
Remember, it's not over until the time is up for the very last O Level paper. Till then, make sure you are 110% prepared for every subject you sit for.
Finally, the one thing on TV that I look forward to with a keen sense of anticipation is the ongoing Rugby Union World Cup. I'm not ashamed to declare that the team I'm supporting is England. It has to be, having lived there for 4 years.
Having seen them hit rock bottom by their hapless hammering by South Africa in the group stage, England have risen from the ashes to knock out Australia in the quarter-finals and France in the semi-finals. The funny thing was, nobody gave England a chance. I think the Englishmen's victory over the mighty Wallabies showed the world what resilience and tenacity is all about. It would be good for my basketball boys to watch their matches.
The final is coming up, and they will meet South Africa in the final. It's a re-match. I am not sure who will win, since South Africa is one of the best rugby nations in the world, in the same league as Australia and New Zealand.
But if the English play with the same passion and heart, then I am sure South Africa will find it very tough.
My prediction? England to win, with the handsome Jonny Wilkinson scoring the winning points.
Go catch the match!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
About a chance meeting on a bus today
It was great to walk out of school in the bright sunshine. Rarely do I get the chance to be able to head for home at 2.15pm sharp. But this week being the examination week, with no CCA or meetings, I thought I might as well just leave, and forget about the pile of work on my table for today.
But being a little bit of a workaholic, I did lug along my laptop. Who knows, I might end up in a cafe, on the way home, and get some work done, with a good ol cup of hot chocolate to keep me warm.
But the best thing that happened was actually when I was seated on a bus. A lady plonked herself next to me. I looked up and saw a very pleasant and familiar face.
You know, it's always fantastic to meet ex-students, and it's even better if we get to have a chat. And I did enjoy catching up with her. Hey XY, life in the polytechnic is never easy but keep working at it, and keep up with the new topics and notes regularly, and I'm sure you'll do fine. And holla, it's nice to know you're into triathlons too!
The bus eventually ended up at Suntec City. My ex-student had already gotten off the bus earlier. I was supposed to head for the nearby bus-stop for a bus transfer but I made a short detour to the Starbuck's and I really got myself a cup of hot chocolate and started to blog this entry.
Well, back to work!
But being a little bit of a workaholic, I did lug along my laptop. Who knows, I might end up in a cafe, on the way home, and get some work done, with a good ol cup of hot chocolate to keep me warm.
But the best thing that happened was actually when I was seated on a bus. A lady plonked herself next to me. I looked up and saw a very pleasant and familiar face.
You know, it's always fantastic to meet ex-students, and it's even better if we get to have a chat. And I did enjoy catching up with her. Hey XY, life in the polytechnic is never easy but keep working at it, and keep up with the new topics and notes regularly, and I'm sure you'll do fine. And holla, it's nice to know you're into triathlons too!
The bus eventually ended up at Suntec City. My ex-student had already gotten off the bus earlier. I was supposed to head for the nearby bus-stop for a bus transfer but I made a short detour to the Starbuck's and I really got myself a cup of hot chocolate and started to blog this entry.
Well, back to work!
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