It's Goodbye for now

Well, well, well, the day has finally arrived to officially bid farewell to my blog. My English teacher announced that this week's blog entry would be the last she's asking for since the commencement of this weekly journal the beginning of this year. Yes, I celebrated like any other lazy people who most of the time found it a chore to sit down and squeeze in our entry at the very last moment before the clock strikes at 12 am on Monday. It's confession time. I complain a lot having to write in this blog every week, I struggle to produce a write-up on intriguing topics or so I thought, it gives me shivers if it's already late on Sunday and I haven't fulfilled this homework, this bombards me and I wished that my teacher hadn't come up with this out-of-the-box yet demanding idea. But I'm happy to say that I've tried my hardest to get this work done weekly with the exception of past two weeks'. I can honestly say that I never once thought it was a silly idea, asking students to write a thing or two in their private space and the sky as the limit. For the first time I forced myself to think and write about interesting and exciting things in my life as well as to challenge myself to give my input on various everyday issues. Believe it or not, I was actually excited in the beginning at the thought of writing in my blog but it kind of faded towards the end when laziness surmounted. At times during the night before I close my eyes to sleep, I would "brainstorm" about my topic for that week and sometimes even at  random places, which I won't specify, I got my source of inspiration. Though I might have a certain topic to write about, I would deliberate whether I've got the vocabulary strength and such to translate into words and if it's thought provoking or appealing to my readers. That was the beginning. Midway, I allowed myself to be more informal and just writing about stuff that happened that day. When approaching the season of exams, you can certainly notice a trend on my short and jejune entry. Well, enough said, I've experienced the ups and downs of it. With all sincerity, I wish to thank my english teacher, Puan Monica for bestowing this task to me for I've got only benefits. Through this weekly journal, I realised that my standard of english is down under the rocks and hence, I believe this has given me the grounds to improve. Thank you.

August week 1

Tiger Dad

One of my childhood fears was towards my father. I don't know if that was a legitimate fear or just a typical form of reverence towards all fathers, but I remember mine being a little more than that. This fear is not necessarily instigated from punishments for not living up to mark in terms of academic rather it's attributed to his overall strict and straightforward character. My siblings and I know very well when is the correct time to joke and when to be serious. I believe my father's no nonsense ways is derived from his upbringing as a young child. He knew what it was like to be faced with hardship, to be independent and toil for what he wanted all by himself. Indubitably, the strength to succeed with the equipment of a rigid, resilient and firm facet gets anchored as his nature, bringing it to present times. So, we children, my siblings and I, are expected of the same. We were corrected sternly for every small flop including being careless with things that end up spoiled or malfunctioning for it would mean wasting hard earned money.We try not to provoke his anger at all cost as one blow could befall us with many serious penalties and consequence. But don't get me wrong, even if I sometimes disagree with some actions I would deem unjust or murmur and complain in my heart, I know that my father means no harm. It's his way of teaching us priceless values in life, his way of instilling propriety in us even though he may unconsciously cause despair inside us. It took me years of growing up to understand what he has been doing all these while and to appreciate his form of love with a genuine believe that it's for "your own good" as he says it. Now, with this realisation there's less resentment and less of being upset whenever he corrects. As for the fear, it has been greatly allayed as my father has mellowed down and shows a very different, kinder, more compromising side of him. The children are more comfortable around him and we can smile and laugh together. At the same time, we are always reminded to stay within good behaviors and not to evoke that all too familiar vexation.

Will I exemplify his strict rules to my future children? Yes. Simply because the formula works.

July week 4

Yesterday, I went out for a special occasion with my friends. It was sort of a celebratory party for my team's victory in the recent competition I mentioned before but we killed two birds with one stone by having it with other close friends, turning it into a social outing. We had a good mix of people, apart from the usual gang, we had other people whom we were meeting for the first time. It was definitely  different from the typical outings with the same group of people. To top it of,  it wasn't just hanging out idling our time in a mall or going for a movie, which we did after lunch, it was having a buffet lunch! Not just any buffet lunch, but a JAPANESE BUFFET LUNCH!! Yes, lunch! or brunch actually.  "Who eats japanese buffet for lunch?,"my dad queerly asked me. But he didn't stop me from going and even gave me the money to pay for my share.
 At this juncture, I'd like to add something that came to my mind. I feel blessed because we kids are privileged enough to afford this lavish and definitely not cheap buffet, being soaked into all the fun with no qualms of eating this sort of expensive food throughout lunch, all thanks to our parents. Dear urban kids, we should never boast about these luxury no matter how grown up we look or how grand we feel at that moment, unzipping our wallets to pay the enormous bill without any fuss, as we are undeserving. We have the spending ability and the freedom to own and do many things, but please bear in mind to always be grateful to our parents who worked their way from zero and through tough times to provide our every need and pave a way free from obstacles so that we children don't have to experience what they had.
Thanks mum and dad for everything. <3

July week 3

Since my life is nothing out of the ordinary, there's not much to write about here. I want to do this week's journal real quick so I don't intend to go into any heavy subjects. After some thought, I decided to talk about my pet.

I'm actually not that an animal person as I previously thought. I'm not that kind of person who has that genuine love and compassion towards animals but I do still care about them especially if they are my pets. My family got our first pet, a cute puppy of Lhasa Apso breed( quite similar to the Shitzu) when I was around 6 or 7 years old. (The pictures are not mine, from Google. Just an example.) Of course it's cute and cuddly like all puppies are. We named it Kiki as in Kiki Lala! But I ended up calling her with many other weird( really weird) nicknames. I'll be embarrassing myself if I were to name some of them, so I won't. And yes I loved it dearly, watching it grow bigger everyday. However, owning a pet comes with responsibility to take care of it because pets are not humans, they need to be taken care of like it or not. Looking back, I would say we made the wrong decision choosing this breed. Trust me, it's not because it's bad or anything, it's just not the right choice for my family when my brothers and I are barely old enough to care for ourselves. My parents were left with the burden of taking care of our dog. What's the big deal you ask? Well, a dog this breed has really really long fur( I believe it's gets longer than that of a Shitzu)   
Without much experience,it gets tough having to constantly comb and trim Kiki's fur. I still wonder why my parents didn't even suggest sending her for grooming( I only found out much later that there is such a place specifically for washing, shampooing, trimming and such for pets!) instead, my parents did all that by themselves with a little help here and there. Over time, it gets rather tiring. To add more burden, Kiki introduced ticks/fleas into our home and we'd have a killing-the-ticks session on and off. I was blamed a lot for not being diligent in my duty to comb Kiki's fur. So, it finally came that time when my parents thought it was time to bid farewell to Kiki. It shouldn't be called a farewell because it's not. My parents planned a secret mission to silently slip Kiki out of the house and hand it over to, I suspect, some people from SPCA with the help of my oldest brother. Till now I'm not really clear about how they successfully did it. It was about 8 pm, a Wednesday. I kind of sensed something at that time, I think I saw something suspicious of my brother, but I blame myself for not bothering to find out. I came back from tuition at 10 pm and started to notice that Kiki was no where to be seen. My parents finally came forth and told my brothers and I that she has been taken away. I think I shed some tears then. Imagine taking away a beloved pet which you are so attached to out of the blue,so swiftly. Thinking back, I could understand why my parents made that decision. It was just not the right time and a little too much to handle all by themselves. They bought a puppy for the children so that we can be happy, but we can't deny reality and rationality. Still, how I wished we could have gotten a dog that we could handle and not go through a premature goodbye to our pet. Now, after a decade since then, my family haven't gotten a replacement to Kiki, maybe some temporary guppy fish and just recently this year, two guinea pigs, upon the urge of my youngest sibling. But a new pet dog, no. We, my brothers and I, do look back and wonder if we could have done better taking care of Kiki, then probably she would still be with us today. I get mixed feelings thinking about her. Missing her hyperactivity, her company, calling her name, pampering her but at the same time thinking about how she had felt as though I abandoned her as I didn't say goodbye. What's done is done, that's all I can say. This whole experience has thought me a lot about responsibility especially when owning a pet. So to whoever who owns a pet of any kind, uphold your duties faithfully and care for it.
This post it not supposed to be long. Dang it! Never mind then, as long as I wrote something from my heart.

July week 2

Law Olympiad 2012

I just had a taste of sweet victory after a very long time. The Help University Law Olympiad 2012 was, I would say, my fist major competition in my five years of high school and I am elated that my team emerged as champion. I'm happier to achieve this feat though not on my own in a competition as big and grand as this just as its name suggests. I consider myself lucky to be part of my group as the rest of the members are more reliable and competent than myself. At the beginning, we were excited of the thought of venturing out of our comfort zone, challenging ourselves in a major competition as most of my team members who are also my closed friends are not the type who actively and voluntarily sign for every competition that crosses our path. But we decided to try it out largely because we were desperate to gain some credibility that might help us apply for tertiary education. Needless to say, we were in a state of shock and disbelief when we heard our team announced as the winner. Among all the jumping, laughter, hugging and celebration we doubted in our hearts,"This can't be right. There's got to be a mistake somewhere." But we didn't want to spoil the moment, if there was any correction to the outcome let us cry of sadness later, for now, we're winners! Want to know the honest truth? We came completely and I mean completely unprepared. It was as if we're just going to an event outing, uninterested of our competitors. When we said we must win among ourselves, it was merely a joke, a far-fetched dream just enough to amuse ourselves. When my friend told me that the past winners of this competition prepared really hard for it and the most we did was flipping through pages of a thick fat book about famous quotes at the last minute and hoping that our trump card, Nicole whose parents are both lawyers, is all set to take the main role, I knew reaching a top position was impossible. In one of the games in the competition, we screwed up so badly till we didn't have the motivation to carry on with the next game. From three objectives joining this competition, 1. Fat hopes of winning it, 2. To at least earn a certificate of participation and 3. Gaining experience, we would only get to comfort ourselves with objective number 3, so I thought. We were feeling down in the drain as we thought that we couldn't even manage to get top 10. At that moment when we heard our team called out, it was so surreal. I didn't know what to feel, my entire body was trembling and cold and smiling for the camera was the most uncomfortable thing to do at that moment. But somehow we managed, how can we not? It was a special and not to mention rare moment for my friends and I who are the mind-our-own-business type in school. Most evidently at that time was how much I appreciated my team and my gratitude towards them for making this achievement possible. All in all, I'm happy to have participated in a competition representing my school and I'm thankful for having this amazing experience that I will certainly remember for a very long time. All due credit to the Law Faculty of Help University for organising such a wonderful event, not to mention all the interesting and intriguing games that we truly enjoyed.

July week 1

I had a rare opportunity to attend an orchestra last Saturday at the KLCC Philharmonic Hall. I was actually a replacement for one of my brother's friends who pulled out, so the 'free' ticket was given to me. Along with my brother's three friends, we went to Suria KLCC earlier for dinner at Ben's Restaurant before the performance. I totally didn't expect to have had a chance to eat in such a lavish restaurant! I count myself very lucky. I hope my overly excited antics didn't scare my brother's friend whom I had just met. The dress code for the evening was smart casual and it was required for us to dress accordingly if not we would be prohibited to enter. After dinner, we rushed to the grand hall for the orchestra performance, yes rush! We were one of those few who entered into the hall just a minute before the show started! Many eyes were on us as we with our thick faces found our seats and quickly sat down. The conductor and the special guest violinist took to the stage and soon beautiful music at its finest filled the hall. Every one there was soaking in the music from beautiful pieces that was supposed to be rendition of Bethovan's classic pieces. I don't doubt that they were of Bethovans', it's just that I wouldn't know because basically I don't know anything about music. I look around me and I saw a man sitting across me being so drowned in the music, as his head slightly tilted down, the emotions in his eyes followed the emotions of the music and his fingers fidgeted not out of nervousness but in sheer immersion into the music. I was amazed at this man and many others whose expressions shows how much they appreciated the music in their ears. And there I thought I could fake how much I 'loved' and understood music by closing my eyes and pretend that I was under the spell of the orchestra with my ears all perked up to the music. But hey, I'm not too bad, I tried to feel what the other audiences were feeling and wanted to understand the beauty of the music, though I admit I could never reach that level of emotion as of the conductor as he conducted the orchestra with all his heart and soul. All conductors do. At the same time, I took advantage of being in the hall to observe not only the passionate audiences but also the fine interior of the hall. I got to see for real the different seatings according to class and boxes as they call it catered for a more private viewing space. Being there reminded me of 'The Phantom of the Opera' that I studied for Literature but sadly there wasn't any chandelier in that place. Have I mentioned that from my seat the immediate view is the legs of the musicians with their polished shoes? LOL! We couldn't see beyond the row of violinists, basically the violin was the only instrument we could identify and maybe a trumpet at the back. We had to make do with that as we paid for the cheapest seating.=) This is definitely one of my precious experiences though not perfect, but hey, how many of us can say that we actually went to an orchestra? :-D

June week 5

Another book assigned to me to read is called 'Bleak House' by Charles Dickens. Unlike the first book 'Rebecca' which managed to win my interest from the beginning, Bleak House was a tough one to read at first. Riding on my rare keenness to read after enjoying 'Rebecca', I just wanted to get on with this next book. But before I could to attempt to drown myself into the story, a friend of mine dared me to read the first page and understand it. I did that and lifted my head from behind the book and laughed with my friend. She proved herself right. I think it was deliberate that the author introduced the story in such a confusing way, no head or tail. There is a lot on Jarndyce and Jarndyce, an ongoing court case that could never be resolved and about muddy and damp streets in London. I couldn't wrap my mind around this and with an unimpressive start, I dragged on. It took me a few days just to move to another chapter, trust me it's actually really short, given it's a short version of the book. Luckily, I finally understood the story as I went on and found myself even liking it. Instead of the dreary court matters that is spotlighted, most of the story circled around  Esther, Ada and Richard. I liked the even focus on the three characters, Richard's deadly obsession with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case as he hopes for a big fortune out of it, Ada's solicitude towards Richard and Esther's discovery of her birth mother as well as her relationship with her guardian, John Jarndyce and her lover, Allan Woodcourt. Overall, the mood of the story is rather bleak as its name suggests, but the storyline is quite brilliant and I quickly forgot how hard it was to read this book at the beginning.

Essay

                                                     Discrimination Lives Within Everyone
           
              How far is the truth of this statement? As a matter of fact, it is very true. No matter how much one tries to deny harbouring prejudices towards another, he or she is ultimately guilty of committing the act of this misdeed. One differs from another in terms of the level of being straightforward and blatant in showing discrimination towards a certain someone or group of people. As for the general masses who wants no part in committing crimes or unlawful acts driven by over-zealous discrimination, they might be unconscious of thoughts of bigotry and partiality that rises in their minds every now and then after coming across a particular group whom they perceive of with narrow-mindedness. Even so, they have not the slightest intention of creating strife against them as those negative perceptions are solely brewed by societal influences garnered and drilled in since young.

               Not many people know the scale of the issue of discrimination happening all over the world. I attest to it because it was only after I watched the movie called The Freedom Writers have I realised the truth about discrimination in human relationships much farther and wider than what I knew, enclosing racial issues, different classes of people and cultural division. Discrimination is in fact a prejudicial trait of mankind that has contributed in many wars, strife and suppression of the people for many centuries. It is the natural reaction of man towards some one that is simply different from themselves be it in colour, race, beliefs and behaviour. It is also motivated by age old stereotyping in the society most commonly on the grounds of age, sex, qualifications and wealth. Discrimination is one of the very core reason why war still happens in certain parts of the world and is among man's detrimental weakness.

              Although in this present era where world peace becomes the ultimate foundation upheld and heavy conflicts and discord greatly reduced, discrimination is still alive, discreetly affecting people some way or another. Much hype about it has ceased as the current generation are living in a much better world making them unaware and unexposed to the plight of the remaining groups of people who are still hoping to see light in their lives. Those are they who are still facing brutal and unsparring discrimination. They question, "Where is justice?", "Do we have no rights?". The inequity people are facing now is largely due to racism or at least that is what it says in The Freedom Writers. People are discriminated and marginalized for their colour and that prods them to stick to their own, their clan. They are anchored to the responsibility of protecting their own and trusting no one but themselves. The result of it is staggering. It has been deeply ingrained in them that the world is a dangerous place, living every day means surviving a day in war- assaults and gang fights. They have this idea that everybody is against them because they know how much they are looked down upon, how much they are not wanted. Subsequently, they lose all hope in this world and take upon their 'fate' and just live. That is the adverse consequence we bring to them when we discriminate.

               Discrimination also takes the form less heinous than racism but still underscores being biased that unsurprisingly lurks in many of us. In this case, age, sex, qualifications and such are referred to. Most of the time this form of discrimination is not to hurt another rather it is a matter of preference based on ideas accustomed to the society. For example, companies often turn a blind eye on the older applicants for a job as they deem them unable to cope with tough and long hours of work but instead welcome fresh graduates who can give the company a breath of fresh air. Discrimination towards female workers that are thought to only belong in the kitchen are fast diminishing as more influence and power are bestowed to them in economical and political sectors. The automatic negative perspective towards dependent old folks and the handicapped can be overturned by having genuine understanding and compassion. Thus, we should not discriminate if they are given extra attention and care, alternately we must respect and treat them equally.

              In conclusion, every one should try to relinquish discrimination since it lives within everyone. We have to keep in mind that every one of us is the same beyond our skin, language, nationality and religion. Every time a thought of discrimination arouses, we should remind ourselves that we too are not perfect, not better than others, so, why judge? Renounce arguments and discord, instill respect for others and by this principle this world can be a better place.

June week 4

I've just finished reading a book called Rebecca assigned to me to read by my teacher (that's probably the best way to force me to read!) and I can't say that I regretted it. I'm amazed myself to be able to complete the book in just a few days! What a record! ;-) The tone of the story is quite dark and a little scary  just as how every mystery books leave me but for the sake of overcoming this fear I went on till the end. Mystery books never appealed to me, mainly because it induces unnecessary anxiety and jitters that overall brings my mood down. Though this book is not that perfect for someone who likes being worry free, but I quite like it. So, though the title suggests that Rebecca would be the main character, ironically she's not even alive in the story but it's true-the whole story revolves around her. The person who tells the story had just married to Mr De Winter who she already knew was having a hard time letting go the thoughts of his late wife, Rebecca, who died tragically. However, following him back to Manderley was nothing like a fairy tale she wished for as with all the pleasures and riches, everything else in Manderley reminded her of the former lady of the house. Thoughts that she wasn't ever going to replace Rebecca no thanks to Mrs Danvers who blatantly showed her disapproval towards the new Mrs de Winter bombarded her mind. Along the way, many clues and questions about Rebecca and everybody else in the story were popped up underlining the theme of mystery. Was it an accident or suicide that caused Rebecca's death? Or could it have been a murder!? If so, who did it and why? .... Hehe I sound so cool..Don't mind me! As it turns out, Mr de Winter murdered Rebecca himself! From the start it has been conjured as though he deeply loved his late wife and was in a lost after her death but the truth is he had hated her so much to the point of murdering her. What a turnout! Totally unexpected and a very interesting twist. I can't think of any reason other than that the present Mrs de Winter was obsessed in her love that she would rather be sucked in to share the guilt of her husband, a murderer when she could use that as the perfect reason to escape her unhappy life forever.That's something I found quite amusing....

June week 3

Time flies when you're having fun. Agreed. Is it just me or did the second week of holiday just flew by in a blink of an eye? Much faster than the week before. I guess it is because I already anticipated the reopening of school way earlier in the week. Well, I'm glad to say that I enjoyed every second of it though many a time it was wasted away with some unedifying activities :-) I won't say that I detest going back to school because it is about time to get back into student mode and assume tight daily schedules, bringing myself back to earth and reminding myself of bigger goals.

On this final day of rest(for now), I visited the Pavillion mall and had lunch at Food Republic that I confess markets a brilliant concept suited for every one's taste. However, only the level for food and dining interest me as for the branded goods ranging from international clothing lines to accessories and beauty products that the place is known for, I consider too up market and high end for me to dwell too long with ease. Well, maybe some day I'll be able to appreciate it when I have an independent and greater spending power! :-P

June week 2

I'm loving the holidays!! Holidays are the best as I often lose track of time and it's renders me with no guilt indulging in my pleasures. So far it's been great as I got to do things that I missed during the stress period before this, even those things that might be insignificant and ordinary. One of those activities are cooking for fun! It's been awhile since I whipped up something for my family to sample and critique and I did missed doing it especially during exams where I would think I'm deprived of this simple pleasure and many more, say reading a nice magazine at a slow and relaxing pace because my studies were constantly at the back of my mind, so my study breaks were often short-lived and I find myself wishing that I could appreciate everything that I do. So now having to water the plants, cook and play with my pet guinea pigs are just so enjoyable and I really feel contented. Everyday I try to slot in at least one fulfilling activity, that is, apart from the tv and computer, and that is enough for me. I'm enjoying every bit of it, need not decline dinner with my family or secretly peeping into the hall from a corner to check out what's playing on the tv. Though there's just another week left of carefree life before resuming my exam laden year, I will try to make the most out of it. By the end of the holidays, I hope that I would be satisfied with how I spent my time and be reenergized for school. =)

June week 1

EXAM'S ARE OVER!!!! Well, not forever, just for now... But YAY YAY YAY!!! Only those who know me understand how I really feel. My joy is sincere! :-D Seeing that I don't have much things to talk about, I'll stick to recounting the ups and downs during this recent exam. I've got to admit that this time round it's no easy guarantee for anyone including me to say that this exam was just a breeze. No, no. It's not like others so far, a lot tougher and it really pushed us to the limit. It was the first time I forced myself to get up in the wee hours of the morning just after a few hours of sleep so that my body was given little boost for the next long hours of study and exams. I took pity, seeing myself in the worst wearying condition, forcing every last bit of information into my brains. The worst feeling I had was each time I realised that I wouldn't be able finish my revisions before a paper. My heart starts thumping vigorously, my face paled, my feet and hands cold and the most anxious feeling set in, still I tried and tried to continue. Many times I faced a breakdown, mentally and physically. Emotions were quick to creep in and managed to overwhelm my mind. Fear of not making it and fear of not living up to expectations heaped more stress and anxiety in me, eventually took a toll on me. I felt lost and just didn't know what to do anymore. I felt like throwing in the cards. But I'm so grateful to those around me who managed to knock some sense into me. My perceptions of exams were all wrong. It was no point for me to lose my mind and senses over the exams. With that, I slowly picked myself up and moved on without putting any expectations for myself. The real deal has yet to come and when it does come, I should avoid making the same errors again learnt by experience. At the end, I'm  glad that I was able to sit through the exam without much problem. :-) Let me take a nice break now.

May

Inconsiderate acts of people

Dear Editor,
         
             In this modern day, trailing the glory of technology and advancement comes along the plight of regressing humanity values. It is utterly disappointing to witness the dire state of the current scarcity of basic mannerisms in the present society. Every day, hour and moment we see many inconsiderate acts of people that has already gripped the society so tightly that it has been received as a norm or just something ordinary in our lives. These inhumane practices do affect every one depending on their beliefs, judgements, their way of thinking and the principles they abide by. Even if one gets annoyed or unhappy with certain characteristics or actions of someone we encounter that are plain rude and uncivilised, we have learnt to forbear such people as it is nothing new. Usually when we are faced with people like this, instead of trying to persuade and rectify the problem, we would rather endure it and only go to the extent of complaining and grousing to ourselves or to friends behind the refuge of a shut door. Undoubtedly, no one is spared from his or her guilt in committing and even displaying certain inconsiderate and disgraceful habits in our daily walk.

             Based on studies about human behaviours and what incite them to act rashly, we can deduce that one of the main root of the problem lies to the fact that people are selfish and only think about themselves. Smoking where it is prohibited is one of the major concern that is happening too often today. Public places  which are air conditioned would become such an uncomfortable place to be at when some unmindful smokers start to puff poisonous smoke from their cigarette. Honestly, the smell of smoke that fills the entire premise is very revolting. Some bus drivers think not of their passengers as they blissfully smoke to their hearts content while passengers suffocate at the back. They would play ignorant to signs prohibiting smoking and continue on because most of the time other than pinching to close the nostrils and fanning away the choking smell, people do not have the guts to tell them off. The consequence of that, poor elderly and children are made passive smokers. Moreover, selfishness of one is shown when one jumps queue constantly refusing to wait in a long line like others as well as hogging for too long onto something others are also waiting for.

             Furthermore, some people do not excercise care and thought about public amenities. More often than not, good and new equipment in perfect condition at public places, for instance the park or children's playground and even the library could only be utilised for a short period of time before something would go loose or compartments would become worn and torn off due to rough handling. Doodling and scribbles about anything and everything on the table, on the walls, on the borrowed books is by no means considered art or graffiti when especially you are dirtying those things that are you did not pay for and also depriving others from utilising them. We should safe our creative hankering for the art papers and not the tables. Having the privilege to benefit from the facilities graciously given us, we have no rights to vandalise them but instead we have to uphold the duty of using them with great care as a reflection of our appreciation. Logically we would not want others to destroy our belongings that we share with them, so do unto others what we would want others to do to us.

             In addition, some inconsiderate acts of people are dangerous and could cause a lot of trouble. Laws are not meant to be broken. They are enforced for the reason of protection and ensuring that there is a proper system for everything. Today, we question the standards of passing and licensing motorists as we watch in horror all sorts of daring stunts and menacing driving on the road, until some opt not to drive themselves for fear for their lives. Speeding, breaking all speed limits, beating traffic lights, double parking are just a handful of offenses we have to put up with every day. Worse of all is fighting and provoking other drivers while on the road like exchanging shouts and protests and venting their anger in the form of honks or trying to outdo each other in a childish make-believe race. People would not want to get involve in such irrationality if it is non of our business, but it is and therefore, people are concerned. Innocent lives are put on the line because accidents can occur at any time at the rate these inconsiderate people are going. Driving on the road is like entering a battlefield and those who managed to evade any accidents are considered victorious.

          I have seen enough of these thoughtless and tactless acts and I have heard enough complains about other people having to tolerate and face these nuisance. Here I am writing my thoughts on this matter, the fatally growing problem rising from within the society, in hopes of creating awareness about the extremity of this issue so that measures of reformation can be taken starting by kicking out our bad habits and selfish ways and start considering the result of our actions on the people around us. Let us all work together in realising a better society to avoid degrading too low a standard.

                                                                                                                                  Hopeful Gen-Y


         

April week 4

Exam's round the corner once again and I am back fretting over it like how I always do. I can't ever get tired of the anxiety it brings not that I don't want to, trust me I really do wish that exams to me can seem part of every one's life. That's because along with exams comes that grueling time to work our brains, to make sure all the lessons in class really sink into our heads. Suppressing the knowledge and information in is one thing, mastering the technique of answering question papers of different forms of evaluation, for instance  structured questions and essay questions, every one differing according to subjects is another. Then, there's the time consuming, brain squeezing memory work where we try to know who's who and what's what for History and Biology at our fingertips. Sighh... But that's okay I guess, because as a student dreaming of a good career and bountiful income, this is a prerequisite for sure. As I constantly remind myself that, I hope to endure through all future exams with some comfort.

April week 3

During the recent Wednesday which was a public holiday, my family managed to squeeze in a one-day trip to Ipoh for yet again another food excursion! We left early in the morning to make sure we arrive just in time for breakfast in Kampar. (All our food stops are from a list of highly recommended and commendable stalls that my father diligently compiled from reading food blogs) Therefore I knew the food we'll be gorging the rest of the day will be assured of its good taste. For breakfast, we had the famous charcoal-fried noodles, Wan Tan noodles(the best among all the food we ordered), Curry Chee Cheong Fun and Kampar noodle soup. After satisfying our hunger, we then rushed on to Ipoh, another 45 minute-drive away as we didn't want to miss getting a taste of a crowd-pleasing bowl of curry mee. Sadly, the shop wasn't opened that day. Following that, we enjoyed a very subtle tasting and cooling Tau Foo Fa along with soya bean to liberate some heat on that hot hot day. My favourite stop however was at an old-fashioned, traditional Kopitiam in Ipoh Old Town(no big surprise there). They serve the most authentic and delicious Old Town White coffee that makes me time travel back to the time of my grandfathers'. The taste we get from the coffee has the right kick and richness of flavour, very different from the ones we get here.  As perfect complements to our Iced Coffee, we ordered Sotong Kangkung with generous flooding of the unique gravy as well as sate. That was definitely one sumptuous brunch! And our tummies were pleading that we give them a break! So, we did. We rested in my grandparent's place till late afternoon and managed to visit the much talked about Gaharu Tea Plantation (their gaharu ice-cream is to die for!) To mark the end of our food trail, we had dinner at a dim sum restaurant in Ipoh that didn't fail to live up to its name. I feel glad that we, Malaysians, have this culture of 'balik kampung' where the younger generations especially, can go back to their roots and experience the food the older generation ate and how was the eating culture like last time. These are indeed simple pleasures.

April week 2

Today was very enjoyable for me during my late lunch trip to the heart of KL. My father had decided to bring my family to a certain hawker stall selling their signature beef noodle soup in Jalan Tun H.S Lee after chancing upon an article that features a few recommended food stalls around Petaling Street that is guaranteed to entice our taste buds. So being adventurous foodies, we were exited to put our food-critique expertise to work either to acknowledge the tastefulness and good quality food that the stall has to offer or to prove otherwise. This time, the beef noodle soup that was served was top-notch and if say so myself, heavenly. The beef condiments ranging from the most tender beef slices, the best quality beef balls to perfectly cooked beef tripe and the most generous pieces of beef tendons I've ever eaten in any single bowl serving! Yummy!! What's beef noodle soup if the soup has nothing to shout about? Well this one has everything to shout about! It's slightly different from the Vietnamese version otherwise known as Pho Bo as in the soup is not clear and light but rather it is flavour-packed with the essence of beef distinctly highlighted and seen, as in beef "suspensions" are seen floating in the soup making it thick and murky as though beef was blended in the soup. But I reckon it is the result of hours and hours of boiling the beef stock  and that creates the ideal base for the beef noodle soup. If only I had pictures of it to show then you guys would have been salivating by now. One bowl of the more than satisfying beef noodle soup costs RM 7, expensive but totally worth the amazing taste and the good quality that they give.

April week 1

English VS Mandarin

It is quite a known fact that the English language is the universal language spoken whenever we communicate or deal with people from different places be it if the other party understands or not. Following English is French at the top of the list, for as long as it has been so. However it is undeniable that the stronghold of these languages are being threatened by the recent shift of prominence and influence to Mandarin, the native language of Chinese. This is largely due to the economic expansion of China in recent decades that is bringing about much focus on its people and culture as foreigners begin to invest more and cease opportunities from the developing nation. All eyes are on China as they say, where it has become the global economic hub, the place that promises good job prospects and where each international-based company should have a place in. In order that businessmen and anyone looking for more privileges in China to reap its benefits and to be assured of their place there, they know that they have to master the people's language, Mandarin. Inevitably, the drive to learn Mandarin has been spreading like wild fire around the globe where Europeans who no one ever thought would be learning Mandarin one day is doing just that and middle-schoolers there are being encouraged to take Mandarin classes. What an overturn of situation especially when English has always been the number one.
Now this is actually quite concerning to me as I have no background at all in Mandarin. I am always pressurized by my elders about how I am suppose to compete globally in the next 5 years without Mandarin proficiency. How am I going to handle the task of communicating and establishing good ties with people from that region in order to win their favour in business deals? It is more disconcerting for me when being of that race but not knowing the language, quite embarrassing. Well I cannot blame my past, not being enrolled into a Chinese vernacular school or not being made accustomed to speaking mandarin as a toddler, as the saying goes where there's will, there's a way. If I had wanted to learn it sincerely, by now I would have some basics maybe from self-study or tuition classes but I never pushed for it. So the blame is on me. Having said that, the issue of English vs Mandarin is not something we can control, we will just have to see in time and it is definitely not an issue worthy to be overplayed and disputed about. It's just a cultural observation and outlook that does not affect much.
As for my case having only English and Bahasa Malaysia in my resume, I know that I have to step up my command of these languages especially English. I am ashamed for my standard of English is quite disappointing where most of the time we intentionally speak in broken English or rather 'Manglish' at school and at home. Being the only universal language I know, I should be well versed and flawless in English so that my uncle would not have the chance to criticize my shallow grasp of the language. Honestly, what I know is only scratching the surface and therefore I should continue to improve and make progress so that there will less to be ashamed about.

March week 4

That feeling of pain

Without a doubt, being in pain is one of the worst feeling for one to go through. I say this with much understanding for I have just recovered from being ill about a week ago. This time it was quite serious and I was really suffering, plus I was more regretful that it had to happen during the recent holidays. Usually I would be down with flu due to lack of water and sleep and often it would make me miserable for one whole day only. I admit that I do have a problem drinking enough every day that might be because of my laziness and lack of foresight about my body conditions. Actually our bodies give us early warning symptoms for us to take careful measures but instead of taking heed, I took the risks and suffered the consequences real badly. It started with soreness when I swallow because of a huge ulcer near my throat, then a fever, flu, cough before subsiding for one day. Then it was Saturday and I had to attend theory driving lessons for 5 hours already feeling lousy and sickly from the start. I knew I was having fever again. I have never felt worse before and miserable in unforgiving conditions at the driving school, very hot outside but cold in the classroom, it was sheer pain as I prayed for the class to end. I tried my best to absorb what I can which is about only 50%. My eyes were watery and red when I got home. I could only imagine my appearance when I was in that class earlier. Anyway, home is the best and I was finally free from that 5 hours of grueling torture. My fever carried on for a few days and I literally experienced blood, sweat and tears. I felt  like I was in bondage, I couldn't carry on with my daily routine and had to forgo outings with my family and I couldn't eat "normal" food. Water, water, water. I had to replenish myself with the many litres of water I had deprived myself during that short span of days. I cried out of frustration for having to suffer so badly especially the pain at the back of my throat that makes eating and drinking a chore and I kept blaming myself for my negligence towards my health. Now, I wonder why I sometimes wished I was sick when I was younger. I now know that it was the stupidest thing to wish for. Being sick is no joke and I speak it with experience. Wishing to be sick so that we can skip school is nothing like what it seems to be but rather going through a time of test not just physically but mentally too as we wait for our bodies to heal and recover so that we won't feel down, oppressed and weak anymore. Be careful for what we wish for. I have learnt my lesson.

March week 2

Tale as old as time

Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Singing In the Rain, Breakfast at Tiffany's, yeah... that's about the old english/ American films that come to my mind. That's probably because I don't belong to my mother's generation whose all time classic films link to these and these sort. Nevertheless I never felt  weird or incomprehensible towards their favourite movies as I do agree without a doubt that these films boast with an exceptional and remarkable star quality that prevails through the test of time. The Sound of Music is a testament to that fact-ask a 5-year-old and she'll sing to Do Re Mi flawlessly imitating Julie Andrews!
See, there's a distinctive feature among us, to treasure something of our youth or childhood that never fade from our hearts no matter how matured and different we become. In context with movies and tv shows that we have watched ages ago but still hold dear to, no one is an exception. If those are for my mother's era, then we kids have so much more that we may have forgotten about but still able to laugh and smile reminiscing those old times. I mean the back to back cartoon series from the only channels we were ever bothered to venture namely Disney Channel, Cartoon network and Nickelodeon. Just the other day, a few of my classmates were getting hyper and laughing out loud talking about lost memories of their favourite shows and then humiliating themselves singing those cheesy theme songs. It was CRAZY and HILARIOUS!! It started of with Pokemon, a huge phenomenon among little kids we were back then, then it went on to Digimon, Power Rangers, Ultraman, Batman, Superman, Spiderman( gosh, I'm making these up because I can't really remember. There were too many!) and then skipped to Kim Possible, American Dragon, Powerpuff Girls, Dave the Barbarian and on and on and on. (It's okay if you are not from this generation and wondering what's up with shows like these and their odd titles) Yes, not forgetting the seven Disney princesses! My, my, you can't even imagine how much time we spend talking about who's the most beautiful princess and the least beautiful, not to mention singing those timeless princess fairy tale songs!(Perhaps I should tell that this princess stories applies to the girls only...but I never know..) My personal favourite song is Reflection in the princess movie, Mulan and I have a feeling that my friends think I'm crazy when I start "passionately" singing it in class.
Boy, this has been fun to write. It brings back a flood of good old memories. I can't wait till I am older so that I can have more funny stories to share with my friends, about how I lived my youth with silly shows that still remain as invaluable treasures in my life!

March week 1

Pride and Prejudice


No, this post is not about expounding and sharing my understanding on these words, pride and prejudice. You need not worry about me trying to convey moral sense on the values of humility as opposed to pride. So obviously I'm talking about that classical story, that one that is sure to swoon whoever who has read the book including mine. Pride and Prejudice... It sounds like the perfect title that just promises to stir your emotions and keep your attention to the story as you read in silence. Honestly though I haven't read the book, but I did attempt to. However my inability to dive into the commitment of reading the book or any other books for that matter, deterred the experience of having to dwell in the whole true essence of the story instead of from what the movie manage to portray with many limiting factors. But that's just me, I like watching movies. It's been a few months back since I watched the movie adaptation of the classical novel, Pride and Prejudice and I am still as fervent now about it as I was the first time I saw it. I love going back to 'reminiscence' the magical feeling, replaying my favourite scenes countless times on Youtube. To start off, I love each and every characters and only I myself know how much more I love their names! They sound so nice every time I say it- Mr Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Bingley (I try to sound as close as possible like in the movie, with the English accent HAHA) And Mrs Bennet was so adorably annoying and possessed the most hilarious antics while the Bennet sisters were perfect in lighting up the whole atmosphere! Mr Bingley looked exactly like how any one who is of a wealthy and prestigious background and sure his pursue towards Jane was just endearing. But what I like most is without a doubt the rather complex and intensive relationship between the protagonists, Mr Darcy and Elizabeth. Their relationship started off unpleasantly as Elizabeth had a disgusted immediate impression of Mr Darcy who came off as arrogant, status-concerned and had the coldest stare one had ever laid eyes upon. In actuality, he justified himself as being deficient in conversing with others. Anyways, Elizabeth was supposed to be represent prejudice while Mr Darcy as the one with excessive pride. As the story progresses with more meetings unfolded between the two, both overcame their differences and judgement, eventually falling in love with each other. Their story is rather intriguing as it isn't the typical love story on the other hand, it focuses more on self discovery and realising one's misjudgment of others can blind them from seeing the truth.

February week 5

I guess I'm a bit too late to be shouting for joy and cheering now that it's been a few days since it was announce that my class, 5 BELIAN had won the interclass drama competition. YAY YAY YAY!!

Yes, the feeling to actually win something though not exactly myself is so... good and satisfying. I'm sure that my classmates too were overjoyed that our effort in whatever big or tiny role, did pay off and I can honestly say that I'm very proud of my class. Not forgetting to thank our English teacher, Pn. Monica who managed to put up with our nonsense throughout that period and also for kindly letting out the Bilik Tayangan for  our practices. Now that I'm going to graduate from high school very soon, this wonderful experience and sweet victory will I surely hold dear in my heart.

That's about it for the class drama.

So, currently it's the last week before next whole week's first term exam and yes, I am feeling the pressure already. Though my revisions are setting off rather gradually and slowly, I am really really hoping that I can cope with the final boost to come before my exams and  also to be prepared for it. What keeps me upbeat during this time? It's the thought of FREEDOM as well as the holidays after the exams! Till then there should be no slacking!

February week 4

Class Drama Production -5 Belian 2012 :-D

What fun! This year's annual class drama competition among the form 5s was most entertaining for someone so uninterested about any events at school like me. It indeed forced me to be more engaging with fellow classmates as well as to "show a different side of me(a rowdier one)". So way back before D-day for all the classes to showcase their performance in front of the crowd after weeks fooling around behind curtains and maybe behind the closed Bilik Tayangan door, we, the production crew faced so much challenges that when I look back, feels so bittersweet. 

The class were all smiles when we received news of the drama competition as it is known that seniors can add this piece memory in our diaries for us to look back after we graduate, however the tone switched to aghast and dismay when we were told the theme for this year would be "Environment"!

- the last thing on our minds. Teacher gave us a few minutes to fret, murmur and feel envious of seniors of the years before who got romance and such as the highlight. The first thing I thought was that there was no way we could do a love story in an "environment drama" nor could we do anything else except talk about the hard facts on pollution. BORING..

But that's where I was wrong. I didn't know we could come up with such an atypical story with hints of humour and originality yet still managing to underline the crucial points we wanted to deliver. Credits to our scriptwriter, Wong Sze Yuin who undertook her job well to produce the script although it had undergone one too many changes as the time limit calls for it. Behind the scene: The main idea for our story was put together with a team of 6 girls and 1 guy, Chua Zhi Hao, in our first discussion at Starbucks followed by another similar meeting which was to supposedly add meat to the skeleton. Anyway, the scriptwriter had the final product way much earlier than expected and definitely ahead of other classes. 

Then, came the time of trial. Days and weeks flew by and all we could show is, the script. Since we got a rough idea about the casts, definitely script reading and acting rehearsals are next. I don't know about the rest but I do know that a few of us were beginning to feel anxious and frustrated because many of these meetings were initiated but failed to round up the cast for a rehearsal as some were uncooperative while the rest just couldn't fit in with the schedule. Honestly, it was tough even for me who doesn't have any major role or responsibility in this but seeing and understanding the disappointment of a few who care, particularly the scriptwriter, I concur it was terribly difficult. And this led to a huge discord between the director who we were quite disappointed in, and us. We wanted out, to be saved from all these troubles. We were so stressed that our expressions weren't very bright for that period. The director faced a big meltdown, unhappy to shoulder all the burden just because she's "the director" and vented her anger to whom only she herself knows and also in the social networks. 

But hey, no hard feelings, all that is forgotten as things began to look brighter and took a good turn for the better. With the help of our English teacher, Puan Monica the puzzle was slowly forming a picture. Teacher helped a lot by controlling the hyperactive guys and made sure the people involved would attend the meeting at McDonalds'. Perfect timing! The casts roughly knew about their characters and some were more fervent and committed than others. Changes in the actors were made based on the their acting abilities which reflected how serious they were with this whole thing. Soon we had a rather steady cast that we trust will play their role the best they can. Practices were held as frequent as possible, after school and during the English lesson, most of the time at the Bilik Tayangan ( Puan Monica is our free ticket) as well as on the stage in the hall where the actors would eventually strut their stuff on D-day. Slowly but surely, the pieces were coming together where each time we rehearsed the better we got. We're almost ready for the competition as we had everything worked out, the costumes and props which I must say elevated our drama to a greater height, credits to Hu Yi Lin and the props crew. And most importantly, the actors were radiating with confidence, a total contrast to where they first started out. 

Then came D-day, Thursday 23.2.2012. I was having mixed feelings, a tinge of nervousness and a whole lot of excitement, for one thing we got to skip classes but sadly, only for the first half of school. Imagine what must be going on in the mind of the actors. Anyways, all the actors had already donned their eye-catching outfits and the pupils were all seated at the hall that was filled with sounds of jovial and the whole atmosphere, just lighthearted. Though we were impressed with the other classes as in their sense of style and the mode of story they adopted, we refused to be intimidated and stay hopeful that our story would be as good as theirs, if not better! If there's one thing worth being unhappy about, it would definitely be the fact that the actors had to rely only on their naked voices, to project their lines in order that the already perked up audience could hear the bare minimum of what they're saying.

We were the third class to present their drama and I was one of the audience ready to cheer my all for my classmates on stage. The first scene done, then came the next and then the next. Oh my, how hard did my hands shook and so did the camera I was holding! Our hearts thumped up and down, up and down, up and down, right to the end. Unfortunately, it wasn't so smooth sailing and perfect as we thought it would be because number one, the lines were unclear in certain parts which I totally don't blame the actors, I mean there are limits in how far we can stretch our voices right? and secondly, the sound effects that were supposed to create a more responsive effect messed up due to some blunder in the coordination. Nevertheless, we made it till the end.

 The cast bowed before the crowd and received unto them resounding applause and cheers. And that was it, my class' drama from the beginning to the end. From this whole experience. I have learnt more about teamwork, friendship, commitment, perseverence and that an undying support, one would surely appreciate.

What a lovely tale to remind me of my cherished years in high school, that's when I am disconnected from this school in the coming future. A note to my older self,              "Don't lose hope, don't give up for all will be well once again if you continue to persist on and endeavour further". 

February week 3

Me and Books....

I'm no bookworm who can start a 500 page-thick book in the morning and reach THE END on that same night. NEVER! I can't imagine myself accomplishing such a task, honestly. Blame it on not inculcating a reading habit since young or whatever, bottom line is, I simply can't. Besides, I'm a slow reader, slower than a tortoise perhaps, because in my defense, I always try to imagine and picture every word and sentence I read... Haha.

But I still have a shelf-full of books, my priced collection which I collected since young, as something to boast about. Nevertheless it's nothing great for someone you would expect to be having since the collection started a long time ago. I'd say about less than 25 books. SHOCKS!! Enid Blyton, a few classical story books and some tween books...But that doesn't mean I detest reading, I do enjoy it if 'm allowed to read at my pace even if it takes a year to complete one book and surely reading something that reflects my interests will need no help to make me read it.

In fact, I would say that I have grown to like reading more only recently, but instead of long, time consuming books, I'd settle for engaging and compelling articles in the newspaper and sometimes the TIMES magazine, though I find less captivating issues tackled in that magazine nowadays. So, even though my collection of books is nothing compared to my father's ever growing collection of health, cooking and investment books, I'm happy with my daily routine reading the newspaper while having lunch. Don't undermine the contents of the newspaper as it offers more than just political talks and sports news, on the other hand there are write-ins, movie reviews and viewpoints of many talented and dedicated writers are sufficient enough to please your need of a daily dose of reading. So, explore the newspaper! Flip through every page, but skip Classifieds and you never know, you might just chance upon a story that will make your day!

February week 2

History and Me..

As I have said earlier, I do hold an unusual interest about history and things of the past. Well, not just anything of old, just more towards the people and the culture of the many centuries back. I don't know when was the start of my inquisitiveness towards this subject matter but I do find myself very drawn towards learning and reading about topics related to the past in the newspaper or magazine articles as opposed to current issues or trends, the environment, politics etc.

My delight in this subject was ironically driven by watching a lot of dramas. Korean dramas to be exact. Period dramas, as they call it, was never something I would have watched on my own as I reckoned it's not my taste, something only my parents' generation would enjoy. Thanks to my parents who decided to watch an episode of a korean period drama airing on tv one day and also because of my laziness to move away from the couch, the more I watch it, the more I get attached to it (which kdrama doesn't leave you wanting more?!). So, there was no turning back.

The thing about these shows is that it depicts the lives of the people of all classes in the society (korean, in this case) from the monarchies that possessed absolute power to the middle class merchants and traders, the businessmen of that era, the royal military in charged of protecting the king and citizens, servants and maids of the palace, normal citizens and slaves, each of lives having more than one story to tell. From what I have gathered, generally at that time of Genghis Khan, power and dominion were everything for each and every one of the existing kingdom, to seize control over neighbouring countries and claim ownership of barren lands. Furthermore there existed a strong sense of loyalty in a master and servant or slave relationship, a clear, distinctive custom of natural protocol that was expected from the society. One's life always depends on the one above them in the hierarchy and that leaves the king to be the master of them all. In the dramas this distinctive feature is always highlighted whereby there is the highest most deepest loyalty and honour to the kings that reigned supreme by the seemingly very dependent right hands.

Moreover, in the korean culture the traditional costumes, food, music and architecture are all so colourful and vibrant while as for the poor they are dressed in a moderate and down-to-earth clothes. I find pleasure feasting my eyes to the settings in the dramas as there are so many things to see and learn, like how ministers and government officers of various faculties have their very own uniform and the unending strife and greed for the throne amongst siblings or ambitious senators, awesome swordplays as well as the hardship of slaves born into that ill fate forever owing their lives to others. There's just so much to see and much more to learn that I could go on and on.

So, all this managed to pique my interest about the past and to read more information about this of no boredom to me. Therefore, I believe that it is not impossible to make us students enjoy history lessons for it is the method of delivering the true essence of history that is making it difficult. I concur that many of them my age or not, after watching period dramas whether Korean, Chinese or Hong Kong dramas, would not deny that they actually appreciate history from all the pieces of information they got watching these dramas. I suggest promoting our country's history through films and dramas so that viewers and Malaysians can visually comprehend and embrace our remarkable history.
* I really encourage you guys to watch some korean period dramas. They're AWESOME!!

Article

                                                      Perilous Episode at the Polar Ice-cap
                                                                                           by Esther Teow


            On the first Saturday in January year 2002 at approximately 12.15p.m., I arrived at the coast of Baffin Bay in the polar ice-cap of the Arctic Circle with a troop of special forces the Marines deployed by the government to aid in a rescue operation. It had been announced that a group of less than ten survivors of a violent passenger airplane crash was left to fend for themselves in the cruellest of cold blizzard weather conditions with the help of a few scientist stationed there in a research centre. The group of survivors one of them actress, Marie LeGarde, managed to reach the coastal line after unending days of travelling on a worn-out tractor. Their feat was deemed great as they had to survive together knowing among them there were two ruthless murderers.

            I joined the scene at the peak of this tragic happening. Blending in with the Marines, I witnessed a tensed situation involving a man trying his best to persuade an unsettled looking man that tells at first glance he was the bad guy. He threatened to shoot an injured man seen lying close to them with the gun in his hand. The Marines stepped up their pace towards them hoping to trap the murderer unaware but suddenly he noticed that he was in danger and fired a bullet at the negotiating man and quickly grabbed a lady hostage with him into a tractor. The man, a scientist named Dr. Mason was seen pursuing the speeding tractor that eventually lost control, skidded and crashed into some big rocks.

           The next thing we saw was Smallwood, murderer while holding onto Margaret, the an air stewardess, slipped and fell, and disappeared down a crevasse. Just then two planes flying low across the glacier, shoot red fire towards a group of men suspected to be cohorts of the murderer and they fled for shelter. From a few metres far, Dr. Mason was definitely thinking a plan to save the lady. He lifted the rope over his neck and threw it down into the crevasse. Just so quickly, he made an unexpected move in attempt to cease control over the murderer. There was a long struggle in the pit I found out later as Dr. Mason had fell on top of him and contended with all his might to weaken him. I felt movements in the ground and vibrations. The ice was moving and the crevasse looked to be closing. Jackstraw, another scientist had successfully pulled Margaret up into safety as well as Dr. Mason moments later who looked very worn out.

          So, Smalwood was trapped in the crevasse begging to for a rope. Instead Dr. Mason thought it would only do justice to those failed to make it out alive and perished to leave the vicious murderer to death. Jackstraw threw a coil of rope down and stepped back. The mouth of the crevasse closed swallowing the murderer to his end. It was finally over, the struggle for survival. The survivors were treated and given plenty of rest. The heroic act of the scientist in the polar ice-cap were lauded and given due recognition for their courage and critical thinking that made their survival possible.

February week 1

What's "wrong" with HISTORY? 

I just read an article in the newspaper about the on-going debate if legendary hero of Malacca Hang Tuah had really existed or is in fact a fictional figure painted to exhibit exemplary attributes. Though my opinions aren't significant, I personally believe that there is a huge possibility that Hang Tuah was real basically because I feel that no one would actually create a character, described and portrayed at length enough to be known as a legend in this land, just to capture the nations' heart, plus, it has been revealed that the name, Hang Tuah is widely recognised in Indonesia as well. Just as some suggested, I think the problem that led to this controversy is due to over depiction that turned out somewhat unrealistic. 

Anyway, the writer strongly urged that the history subject should not be played up nor presented falsely without basis, but instead stressed that history is similar to science that is "ever expanding". In his words, he shared,"When evidence appears that contradicts your hypothesis, it's time to reevaluate your original ideas. I totally agree. History should not be viewed as something permanent that stays once it is written in school textbooks, rather it should be verified from time to time to ascertain its facts in the the light of new evidence. Currently however, students are to obediently follow through history lessons aware or unaware of this controversy, just for, as teachers put it, "the sake of exams". 

Wait!.... why am I talking about History of all things? Could it be that I'm interested in it?

THAT'S....correct. :-)  And just why?...

*to be continued*

January

Finding my career path.....AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!

Which upper secondary school student hasn't been asked about their goal for the future? Or rather who hasn't asked themselves what would they be after all the effort put into their studies all these decades?

I'm no different. But that's not a problem when we were younger, about age 7 or 8... where we would proudly and loudly profess our ambitions to become 'the best doctor in the world', to our friends teachers and parents, happy to see enthusiastic smiles thrown back. "I'm going to be a doctor." Little did I know then how much harder it would be to repeat those words confidently again, at this point of adolescence simply because we have come to realisation that surviving this competitive world is the real deal. Therefore, we know that making the right decision in our field of study is critical to clear a pathway to a successful career.

Fast forward to this present time, I would say only 35% of us have a clear career goal to take pride in and sad to say I'm not one of them. Kids these days are quite different from those 70s in respect to expressiveness, in this case, they are more honest to themselves. From what I've heard, the then generation made their 'big decision' based on opportunities, careers that will elevate their family's quality of living. Now, the question is if our choice matches with our personal interests whether it is leaning towards medicine, engineering, arts and so on. Other factors like one's strength in a particular subject, job relevance in our country, parents' expectations and their list of limited career choice to pick from and of course, the wages.

Considering these elements, surely we would have been decided with the job most suited to us right? It depends. So, after a long long time fussing about this matter with my friends, hopping through the whole range of occupations and with some guidance, I think I have finally found a potential career for myself. Now I can boldly say, "I want to be a ........."

Yippee!! :-)