It is a challenge to describe the first week in polytechnic.
It is fun because it is not only doing what you like to do, but also more so because you are doing it with many other great friends with similar interest. DMAT is a place where you can randomly sing out s song without anyone thinking you are mad. Since everyone is just as crazy about music as I am.
It is exciting because we will be working with people, some of which are outstanding in their own carriers, in DMAT’s case as Audio Engineers and musicians. Even some of my classmates has skills set comparable to that of industrial standard even before they came into DMAT. Working with these people will not only be easier or more efficient but exciting because we learn new things to what we have already know, sometimes learning how to apply some of our skills in our daily carrier lives.
But life is poly, is sometimes tiring, I can’t put the blame on boring lecturers or long hours of classes. For me, lessons starts at 8am every weekdays. It’s tiring, because I have to get used to waking up at 5.30am in the morning - which for most of the JC students, it’s a piece of cake – and getting ready to leave home by 7am LATEST
.
You might wonder why 5.30am.
Because, I don’t always wake up on time
Because I normally take a shower before I leave home so that I may not bring discomfort to my classmates with my stench
Because I hope to have a heavier breakfast so that I may survive lecture till 10am without being hungry – also given that I don’t eat breakfast as quickly as I do for lunch or dinner.
Because I hope to leave the house by 6.30am
MRT – though the traveling time- 50 minutes - does not vary as much as buses do, but waiting time may become a factor of my delay in travelling time.
Bus – though the traveling time can be shorter than that of MRT- 45minutes - the jam in the morning may increase traveling time by 30 minutes especially when there is an accident in the jam
Taxi – though traveling time is the shortest – 30minutes – it is always my least preferred mode of transportation. Traveling from home to SP would cost me $12, meaning that I have to skip 4 meals in order to have enough allowance for the rest of the week!
So after all that has been said about tiredness, I guess it’s a matter of getting used to the shorter hours of sleep, and the long traveling time to school everyday in the morning.
But life in poly can be quite worrying at times, especially when you are told of all the assignments and project that is to come.I often wonder if I could manage my time in order to finish my work, despite having so many other assignments from different modules.
The scariest part about poly is when you start thinking that you are very free when you are suppose to be busy, one example would be when there are assignments to be complete but you are not aware if it. Most of the time, the ‘revelation’ comes when the deadline approaches or worst, reaches!
But there are times where there are really no homework at all, because poly is mainly about self-directed learning. Meaning that I should not expect a lot of homework from each module as most of my learning comes from my own research. Yes, it is true that SP tutors would give a lot of guidance to its students, but on our part, we have to be pro-active to sometimes go ahead of our lecturers and further explore certain areas of study. It looks like I have to self-teach myself certain things about Music technology like how I did for playing guitars and drums.
To make an attempt to describe poly life in one word, it would be ‘Independence’. Yes, we may have freedom to do what we like to do without anyone stopping us in poly, but more importantly we need to be ACCOUNTABLE – not just responsible- for our own lives in poly. But independence not in the way that I solo everything myself, but rather independence is managing my own things in poly well, so that I may also help others in these areas.
It’s not very easy to be accountable; in fact it is difficult, especially for someone like me, who is very passive – depending on someone or something to push me to do something. But I guess, in order that I may ’remain’ in the society of today, I will have to learn to be more pro-active, especially in doing the right things.
Just as it is challenging for JC students to live out a Christ-centered life, it is immensely difficult for me to live out one in poly. Poly may not be as hectic as JC with piles of tutorials and projects to finish – the challenge for me in poly is not with homework yet. Often of times, I find myself forgetting who I am as a child of God, as a member of God’s people.
I find difficulty in living out a Christ-centered life even when there are no assignments due. Many times during the week I find being very arrogant, boasting about what ‘numerous’ instruments I can play – taking all glory to myself. How dare I - knowing that this talent is not mine, but is God’s whom He gave to me and place me in this course that I may develop it and multiply it and use it for His own Glory, just like what the two servants with 5 and 2 talents did in Mathew 25:17-22 – boast freely about MY own talents when it is not even mine?! How dare I look down on other people, when I am not better or even worse off than these other people; to see a speck that is in other people’s eye and yet oblivious to the log in my own eye as in Luke 6:41.
There are many times I felt that I could have responded to these situations better. I was given so many chances by God to do the right thing, yet I chose not to. If there was a chance for me to apologize to those I have hurt, I pray that I might seize every these opportunities bravely to not only apologize but to be humble and seek help, if they can help. But importantly, I pray that God will forgive me in every failure to use so many opportunities so many times, to end up hurting even His People in my class.
I guess saying to live courageously and consistently for Christ, would be something too broad for me. Perhaps as I continue to be in poly, arrogance could be one of the areas I could work on. Perhaps, pro-activeness could be another. So to all readers out there, welcome to the start of my poly life.
To write about my feelings now? That would be the hardest thing to do now. Maybe
excited that Poly Life is going to start this coming Monday? Maybe sad that my
holidays are going to end? Maybe anxious as I am going have lots to do with SYFC
PArts and Poly Life?
It's hard to say how I feel now, given that I tend to only focus on one thing
instead of many things at the same time. Perhaps, it is a good thing as it shows
that my ability to focus is good :P. But bad, because I neglect everything else
when I focus on one thing too much. Perhaps this goes to show I not good at
multi-tasking.
A JC friend of mine asked, "so how are ur holidays,"
I replied, "hahas...a great time of resting"
Well, I not laughing at him because he in JC with assignments pilling up while
I'm at home slacking(not really slacking, but doing work at own pace). Just that
I was grateful for his concern for me. Honestly speaking, I thank God for the 4
months of absence from school, I would really consider this time of holiday a
time of resting despite having to be busy with MIMBY and REW, after all I am
doing things that I love doing (Music and Sound) and getting learning experience
from all this event, another thing I can thank God for!
I must say this 4 month of holiday really showed me how much God has blessed me.
From a decent roof over my head to sufficient supply of food and finances, from
family so loving to friends so trustworthy, these things I take for granted. The
next step is then to consider how these things can aid my relationship with God,
an later other people's.
Maybe God is revealing all this blessings to me for a purpose.
Maybe God wants me to see how He would continue to bless me even if the days in
poly isn't easy. Maybe He is trying to show that I have everything needed for me
to Live for him, and to die to self.
Maybe he wants me to use this blessing to benefit others who lacks these things.
Maybe he's showing me how I need to Trust And Obey him, to depend on him fully
to live a God-pleasing life with whatever He has give me, knowing I depraved and
nothing without Him.
How I wish I could appreciate the fact that this life I live in temporal, that
there is a better live after this world, and therefore seek and reach out for
it. How wish I can appreciate what God has done when he paid his life as a
ransom to set us free. How I wish I could see the value of this relationship
with God that reconciled when we are called Children Of God.
Living to please not myself but God isn't going to be easy, serving in SYFC has
made my mother worried if I was going to survive in poly, given that I seem to
always be so busy in my involvement(to her). I understand her worries, she is
still not sure if I'm doing these things with peace in my heart, with a clear
sense of direction. I wish I could show her that SYFC was where I made my first
attempt to live life as true christian.
I think I probably have not lived out the christian live in my family, not
showing any change to my life in comparison to how I have been living previously
as a blind 'christian'. Well, in that case, it's time to Change! Easier said
than done.
Living to please God and not yourself is easier said than done. there is lots to
change in my life, just hard to decide which aspect to change.
Perhaps the aspect to do everything diligently for the Lord whether it pleases
myself or not. One area could be learning the piano? :P Having learnt the piano
for 6 years, there are numerous times I got really sick of the piano, to the
extend that playing it makes me fall asleep. Well, piano isn't really the main
problem itself i suppose, because this is not the case when playing pop songs or
riffs on the piano, or even composing songs. Perhaps it is my hatred towards
classical music? So once again to continue with classical music not and try to
appease my frustration with something else, but to learn it faithfully, and
diligently for the Lord, to show God's glory(hopefully through learning/doing
something to the best of my ability even though I dislike it).
Well, this is only one out of so many other aspects to change, temper
management, unity not individualism and integrity not deception. Of which I
won't write it out now.
Sigh...as poly starts, I hope that even if life may often tempt me to do the
things I like, I will do what pleases the Lord first. For what pleases the Lord,
will somehow please me I suppose, doing things the way he had intended us to do,
for when he created us, he saw that it was very good!
So yeah...if you can, do pray that:
I might live not to please myself, but to please God
Continue to love others especially my family members
Continue to live a christian life consistently and courageously
We can't do things right on our own, that's why we depend on God to do the
right things :)
Alright! Finally, my enrolment letter has come! This means I have got things to do:
Photo Form
Tuition Grant
Online Pre-Enrolment
Submission Of Financial Forms
Medical Checkup
I got a feeling I got myself into big trouble this time. Because I was suppose to submit my tuition grant form together with the photo form but apparently I submitted only the photo form without putting in the tuition grant application form, so it is either I find a way to get a white envelop and mail it to SP(thru SP or otherwise) or else I’m going to have to pay $8k+ for my course fees without tuition grant. Which
means I will be bankrupt even before I can pay my fees, given my bank account
balance can’t pay the fees with tuition grant. Hopefully, I can rush down to SP
on Monday to get an envelope quickly, hopefully I can return back in time by 2pm
for my piano lesson on Monday since submission date is on Tuesday 2 March,
otherwise it would be after my piano lessons, and hopefully they do not close
too early.
Enrolment done! It’s ideal to have enrolment done online, so
convenient and easy to do enrolment online since I need not travel all the way
to Dover and waste $2.60 and 2hrs of traveling money and time where it can be
done at home within 45 minutes on your own. Enrolment also allow us the create
SP email account, as if I am working in an organization. It’s really exciting
yet a little weird, probably because I’m not used to having a working email
and thus treated like an adult to know everything, indeed the next phase of
live isn’t going to be any easier. In the Pre-enrolment, I was to fill up
all particulars like citizenship, NRIC, Religion, Marital status, Occupation
(if given a choice I will put servant of God :P), Number of siblings,
housing type (tempted to put Zinc roof house), Gross Monthly income (of
which I thought (<$300 was more appropriate), Contact information (which
is a problem since I do not have a home phone and what was placed by default
is my old hand phone number), and Medical/Physical conditions (which I
wanted to include asthma though I recovered from it 12 yrs ago)
I will also be receiving my SP student Card, once again a feel of how it is like
to work in an organization, to work as an adult, stress sia… so for those going
SP to collect the student card it is 31 March 2010, 8:45am at the enrolment
center. That means I will have to wake up at 6am in order to be in time!! For
now, I will be waiting for my matriculation status which will probably be
announced nearer to the enrolment date and get my tentative appointment for my
collection of the student card…
What else? Oh yes, financial letters! Okay, this means I have to pay for my course fees L. It ain’t that bad with tuition grant but without tuition grant, it’s GG for my family’s finance. I wish Ang Mo Kio had a Standard Chartered Bank Branch then I dun have to travel to Thomson or Peace Center to go pay for my school fees, yup I have to pay my SP fees via standard chartered bank since I am not using my Edusave(which has a balance of 10% of my course fees…lol) or using a loan from banks(knowing that I might incur interest debts :P). I guess I will go down to the Peace Center Branch today to pay my fees before having my reunion dinner at Bugis and find a mailbox to mail my financial forms.
Ah lastly, the medical check-up, done it today at Thye Hua Kwan- Ang Mo Kio Hospital this morning, it’s been a long time since I last had X-ray, I used to have phobia of X-rays and always refused to go for an X-ray (at that time I did not even know X-rays could kill cells), which surprisingly not present today, thank God! Still, the aftereffects of X-rays are still present, will slight chest pain and discomfort which should be gone within a few day. I may even be radiating X-rays! :P Well, after paying $25 for an X-ray. I also had a medical checkup, where as usual they did an eye test and colour deficiency test, measured blood pressure, pulse and heartbeat
rate. But I realized there was one common question which the staffs and doctors
asked: “which course are you studying?” the strange part is, they the way they
phrase their question were the same. I wondered if it was just by coincidence
that they asked the same questions or there was a template to follow for them
when speaking in Poly students during the checkups. But I suppose that doesn’t matter since I have done my medical check-up. I just have to wait for them to mail in my medical report form to SP then.
I seriously can’t wait to begin poly life, new challenges to face, new people to meet, and new opportunities to serve God too! Though there may be bad influences, discrimination, persecution, hatred, jealously in poly life. I pray that I may continue to stand firm in living out my Christian life for Christ, dying to self every day. It may be the toughest thing to do in poly given that the culture there. Then again it
shouldn’t be surprising to experience this, after all “There’s no one righteous;
not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have
turned away.”
Poly life won’t be of a life of slacking, it appears to be quite slack as we have holidays on the period where JC students are having examinations and also because we spend more time doing hands-on things rather than sitting down to mug, appearing to do things which seems less mentally challenging when it’s both physically and mentally
demanding, You may think, Music and Audio Tech students would either be their
studio playing their instruments or playing with sliders on the mixer. No,
there’s more to that meets the eye. I recently received an email from my bro’s
friend studying the same course regarding a essay question. He was assigned an
essay question which needed him to visit a concert, take down all equipment used
(from Speakers and Mixers down to Microphones, types of cables and DI-units) and
account for their usage purpose. He had to talk to the sound technicians and
asked them questions about audio tech (hopefully make contact with them). This
is only a small piece of theory work that’s done for the Audio Tech aspect of
the course for first year students. I seriously dunno how hard the music aspect
of this course would be as they are also introducing new subjects like Business
of Music and Critical Reasoning skills. So who says poly life is slacking, said
JC people are just busy with more paper work and a little practical work, while
poly is busy with more practical work and less theory work. So JC and Poly
Students both equally busy, just with different things.
I will also be joining the poly band in SYFC, which I may even get to apply what
I learn in Poly into doing Tech work and music arrangements, cool! Though it’s
only a once a week commitment, this commitment may also increase as mission
trips and events draws closer. But I suppose that isn’t the problem with good
time management. The only concern is my purpose of serving in poly band. Is it
because I like music? Is it because I like doing Tech work? Is it because all my
friends are there? Or is it because I hope to use my skills in Music and Audio
Tech to serve God and aid in doing His work in the body of Christ? I pray that I
may continue to be clear of my decision, not just in poly band, but in every
decision in life that I will make in future.
So for my brothers reading this, can you:
Pray that I will live out the gospel consistently and courageously, with strength that only He provides. Living for Christ, dying to self.
Pray for good time management as I juggle time between poly work and poly band.
Pray that I may find great Christian companions in poly to consistently encourage one another through trying periods of poly life
Pray that I may be able to use my skills wisely for the Lord’s Glory.
Pray that my hunger to know God personally will never fade because of my poly life.
Pray that in all circumstances I may Always Remember, Never Forget God
So, before I end my post, those people to pang sek and never come for MIMBY, here's one part of the MIMBY show for you:
Oh yea!!! Posting results are out. I’m glad the wait is finally over. So for those who are curious of where I’m going, it will be to Singapore Polytechnic to get a diploma in Music and Audio Technology (I prefer to call it Music Technology). Of course, that course is not just about doing stuff like mixing sound and recording, but it also allows us to compose music and produce them on our own. Now that’s cool (at least to me). After all, I have wanted to do such stuff since I had both background in music and sound so I suppose this course is really like made for ppl like me, who loves to do sound and music at the same time.
Problem is…further study. Lol…so far only three overseas universities offers a degree program in Music Technology: University of Queensland (AUS), Keele University and Lancaster University (UK). So if I want to/have to further study on this course, traveling overseas might be the only option unless Singapore opens its newer universities with this course (hopefully, that’ll be the case). Nowadays, it very hard for degree holder to get a job, to a diploma holder it’s harder. Perhaps even if I can get a job with my diploma, it will most likely be of a lower status. It doesn’t really matter whether I end up the CEO of Creative Sound works or a mere sound technician in a church, so long as these skills are used for the glory of God and not mine, and that my family’s necessities are met (which I believe it will be). Well, just have to prayerful about it and trust in the Lord that he will guide me with His Holy Spirit to do his work and fulfill his will.
I sometimes wonder if I was testing God to see what he will do to save me now that I’m in a course that appears to have no bright future for me. Since it is difficult to further study this course, it would just mean I would have gotten myself into trouble now that finding a job becomes harder (nearly impossible) and then crying out to God, expecting him to save me. It’s like jumping off from the top floor of Swiss Hotel and expecting God to send his angels to rescue me. Of course, if send help to me would glorify God in some way (I dunno how), he might do it.
I joined this course, not just for interest sake, but in hope that I may use my passion and aspirations to serve God with my interest in Music and Audio Technology. But I know that won’t be enough. First of all, I have yet to give up my aspirations and passion all to God and seek Him and His Kingdom, to simply put it, to pick up my cross and die to self daily. It is difficult to sometimes give up some things that you worked so hard for in hope that you will attain success in these things you place your hope on. Would I be able to give up being a Musician and a Sound Technician to seek God? To consider these things as rubbish as compared to knowing God? If there’s no sitting on fences, my answer is simply a no. Yes, it’s a NO, even though I as a Christian must give up everything I am for the Lord. I am still struggling to do just that. It just simply to give up my life to Christ, and yet I can’t do that simple bit…it is TRAGIC!!!
But in all of these, I do pray for God to change me slowly, to one day be able offer up myself as a living sacrifice to Him with little or no hesitation. That day will come when Jesus returns. :)
Well, it is exactly 3 more weeks before Music In My BackYard!!!! Aka MIMBY!!!! Anyone interested to come along? We will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with a few songs from Backstreet Boys, Colbie Calliat, Taylor Swift and Kris Allen, also songs from Chinese artiste such as Tanya Chua and Stefanie Sun. We guarantee a night full of fun and laughter and a little gospel sharing, where friends come together to chill out and catch up over scrumptious food and be entertained by the live band, in a warm and cosy atmosphere. Just like the name suggests, MIMBY is held in the backyard, under the stars!
So do come and enjoy celebrating Valentine lie you never did before!! Well, at least for my sake, because I will be performing on the Acoustic guitar, and will feel lonely without any familiar audience to play to. :P
So the Details:
What?
MIMBY: Shape of My Heart
When?
Saturday, 20 February 2010
6:00pm – 10:00pm
Where?
Bedok Lutheran Church, BackYard
485 Bedok South Ave 2
So those interested to come to have fun with us, do contact me via sms or email
Lol...some say that it will be released at 9am, but my school is going to release these results at 2pm instead so it should keep everyone in longer suspense :P. But not for me, I wouldn’t mind if the results were released sooner or later, it’s strange that I dun seem to be worried about the results at all such that I find it hard to empathise with the rest of my friends anxiously waiting for the results, calling me and ask : “ So Leon, do you feel anxious that the results are going to be released?”
And my reply would be: “No, not really.I guess I have done my best for the O’s, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
Sometimes I wonder if what I said was true. Did I really do my best during the O’levels? Or am I saying that because there is no hope for the O’levels? It sometimes feels weird when you honestlyask yourself these questions. Well, it’s not that I don’t care about my results at all, I do, and in fact a lot, not only does it show me how I have fared for Secondary education but it also determine whether I get in to the courses I want in poly or alternatively the JCs I want (if I score 7 pts below) through the Joint Admission Exercise (JAE). Therefore, it is important that I get my results back.
I suppose the reason why I am not anxious fearful of my result is probably because there’s nothing really I can do much about my O’level results. I mean there is no way I can bribe the Cambridge markers to give me an A1 grade for all subject (even if there is I won’t -integrity). So with that, I shall just entrust my results to the Lord and know that he is always in full control every situation no matter how bad it is.
This past few months have been a very impactful period for most of us I suppose, for most of my friends, they have really changed in maturity since the last time I met them. Perhaps it due to their job experience that they turn from slackers to diligent workers. For others, it’s from muggers to couch potatoes worrying for their O’s – well at least they finally learned how to relax :P .
Well, for me, I have not been blogging for a extremely long time, not because I was trying to earn pocket-money, but rather I was ‘serving’ in the SYFC’s Performing Arts (PArts) ministry’s Short Serve in organising a mini-BBQ and a mini performance and ski put up by us for our friends, the event was called See A Clearer Christmas. In this, we hope to not only share the Christmas story aka Message aka Gospel to them but also to grow spiritually among ourselves as we work as bros and sis in Christ to do the work of God. For non-Christians need the gospel to be save while Christians need the gospel to grow. :)
Well, for the sharing part, it was a little disappointing because I did not exactly have a very good response there. Nevertheless, I know that it is not by our abilities that “convert” people into Christians but the Work of God in their lives. Intellectual wisdom does not produce faith but the Spirit is capable of changing hearts. The gospel has power and the gospel is power, we are just messengers who share the message just as it is and let the gospel do its work of transformation. So I pray for my friends that God will one day soften their hearts and open their minds to receive the gospel and be changed by it. :)
But I guess more importantly for myself, I have finally realised how I had been rejecting God this past few years of being a Christian, living my life without a true hope, blinded and fearful. That was when Randy (my boss) pulled me out after the event told me about my problem.
This is what I can roughly recall. He said, “I may not have known you as well as I know Seb and Alwin(my band mates), but from the time before short serve until now (end of short serve), I have seen them grow as Christians but I don’t see any of that in you...to put it explicitly, you love music, you love yourself more than you love God and Men. There had been many opportunities given to Love your fellow Christian (through talking with them I think during break time) but yet you chose do otherwise (to play the guitar during break time)...Leon, what’s stopping you from doing the right thing which God wants you to do.”
It can be seen as scolding but in a loving way – perhaps challenging me to think. I really thank God Randy did that or I would have been living my life and serving in church (as an audio technician) without a direction and purpose. This had always been the problem I had seen young, the fear of over commitments, fear of failures and mistakes and the need to be assured of my own confidence (meaning that I need ppl to tell me I’m good before I believe that I’m good). There also seem to be a barrier between my brothers and I as I tend to put on a ‘desired’ front to impress my bros to show my passion for Christ when I may not be. I have build this barrier in me, a barrier to hide my true self, a barrier to hide my weaknesses and appear to be superior to others, a barrier build by my own pride. This was why I was unwilling to share during devotions and sharing of fear that I might look bad in front of others. I had always wanted others to see me as a worthy person where in fact we are all of the same worth as God’s creation and people. Indeed, as I continue reflect on what I have been doing during this short serve, I realised that my focus was not on God. My focus was on playing music! All along I had used my service to God as a means to play music rather than using music as a means to serve God. Indeed, I loved music, I loved myself more than I loved God and loved my brothers and sisters and Christ.
I believe there were also other problems that I still have in me, of which some I may not know or may have forgotten, perhaps similar problems just shown in different context. To these problems there must be a solution right? So thus my New Year resolutions are:
1.Being honest with God, being honest with men
2.Putting my faith in God, rather than your own self confidence
Okay, basically being honest with God means to hide nothing from him, simply put it. Often of times, I would always hint to God that I wanted my own personal space to deal with my own personal problems by myself, often rejecting the help he offers me because I did not want to depend on God’s help (perhaps thinking that I have not played my part in my own problems when God comes to help). I always wanted to do things on my own before seeking for help if things go beyond my control---which often leads to failures. Because of this I was afraid of failing, afraid that I would lose face and lose my worth as Leon. Thus, I sometimes put up a strong front in front of others to cover up for my weaknesses, thus also being dishonest with men. To do so, I must first acknowledge that I need help and SEEK help from God, in prayer and petition, being willing to humble myself in front of God to know I cannot make it without God. From there, I will then be more willing to seek help from older bros in Christ to help me with my problems, as mentioned above. Another perspective I look at this would be also sharing these problems to peers with the same interest, to allow them to learn from my mistakes, my sins and thus also encourage one another to continually grow in Christ.
Putting my confidence on God is something I learned during a lunch meeting with Moses (my Bible Study leader). I shared to him about how I was worried that I was not ready to receive a Bible Study (BS) contact, basically not ready to be a BS leader because of the problems I have, as mentioned previously, about how I was unable to do God’s work naturally.
That was when he asked me, “How long does it take for one to learn how to be a true Christian?”
“A lifetime,” I replied
And indeed, it is true. As the Chinese saying goes “活到老，学到老” (live till you’re old, learn till you’re old). Indeed we grow as a Christian so long as we continue to live as one. That’s why we always need the Gospel, to grow. I realised that I usually dared not try new things, like leading in a BS group or sharing the gospel because I did not have the confidence to, in contrast to music where all my confidence seems to be found. Thus, in things we are called to do that we feel that we aren’t good at, we should learn to trust in the Lord that he will continue to guide us slowly and transform us to be more Christ-like in accordance to His plan for us, thus relying on Him and His word to change us daily and not on our own strength, for we ourselves can never reach God’s standard with our own abilities.
So for the year 2010, whether I will end up in Music and Audio Tech or Audio-Visual Tech or even JC. I will to continue to trust in the Lord that he will not just ‘groom’ me into a better Christian, but to slowly reveal himself to me through His word, that I will be honest with Him and His People, Rely on His Power to do His work and to live a life of a Redeemed Chao Lang*!
*Chao Lang(smelly man)- a person who cares for himself only
but it's funny how come I still a little exam stress...lol. maybe I'm juz not used to the holidays yet...or else just worried about my results already...
still, I'm really looking forward to my birthday on the 20th Nov, indeed I have just received my early birthday present this year from God : A Sennheiser Infra-red Headphones IS380 !!!
Now that's cool. Since no wires are involved in the process, I won't have to worry about messy wires lying around the house, all I have to do is charge a VA151 accupack and it is ready to be used!
well, how I got it, well I just went to our school's Graduation Night and won it in a lucky draw! nice, it is like the first time I won a lucky draw so I'm like exhilarated, but I suppose God wanted to give me my 16th birthday present that I won the 20th prize and no because I got lucky today, after all, I was never in a lucky draw...
of course today was one of the most sentimental days as it will be the last time we get to see each other this year, at least for me as I will most probably not meet up with them during the release of the O'level result, where there will be more of tears of joy and sorrow rather than tears of getting to meet up with each other again.
well, my holiday is going to be a very busy one, it won't be long b4 I will be moving into a new house soon, and get my VERY OWN BEDROOM and MY VERY OWN privacy, as all teenagers desires although of course my family members are welcomed into my room so long as they can bear
with the colour orange...:P why orange? cuz it's my favourite colour(it makes my room so bright that visitors would probably go blind and never dare to step foot into my room unless of course they don't mind the colour...). so for those who wants to check out my new house or my new room pls come to me personally. (unsafe to type address here)
well, packing and moving things to the new house does not make my holiday a busy one. after all, I have already finished packing my stuff yesterday. It's me participating in short serve in Singapore Youth For Christ(SYFC) that makes it busier. indeed, I would really hope to gain more knowledge and more experience in the area of evangelism and also partially on other areas like fellowship, prayer and worship...I think, cuz I believe there is more to that than meets the eye. yup, this period in short serve will be 'full of surprises' as seb told me and I seriously don't know what to expect in SYFC, particularly in the section of the performing arts, so I will be meeting a SYFC member, Randy, in hope to gain enlightment when he shares his expriences and work out a schedule that will hopefully fit my timings during the holidays...well, just to let you know, I am actually interested to join the performing arts group in SYFC and thus I am having lunch with randy to work out my rehearsal schedules. hope things would go well for the both of us.
other than that, I am also in the logistic team for our Student Fellowship(SF) year-end retreat, which reminds me that I have to contact Genevieve to find out how's progress so far for the logistics team, it's only a few more weeks b4 the retreat itself, so I getting ready to go shopping for props and items...and probably go on a market research for the best food prices(although food prices are still high). Nevertheless, preperations for the SF retreat must be made in order for our retreat to be held smoothly (can't image us going without food during the retreat).
Another upcoming thing would be the christmas event comiong up on the 23 of Dec, so far I have approach a few friends who either gave me a cold shoulder or juz said that they MIGHT be coming, so I hope to get in touch with them to confirm their attendance and hopfully take this chance to share the gospel with them since it is after the O'levels and also after short serve. By then I should be fully-equipped with the knowledge and skills in order to evangelise effectively, unless I don't patyattention to the talks and sermons(which I hope that's not the case).
so pray that:
for God's guidance and wisdom to allow me to manage my holiday time well
That I may be able to brace myself for any challenges that I face during the short serve
Chirstmas event to be meaningful to these friends and pray that God will soften their hearts for them to hear God's word
I will still praise God regardless of the O'level result I receive next year
God will grant me the strength and wisdom to decide on which academic route to take (JC or poly) and allow me to adapt to that environment
oh and b4 I forget, the answer to the last Song Rec Test:
YAY!!! Chinese O's are finally over!! At least I think so...I'm still wondering if we were going to have Chinese in prelim 3. Some say its pointless since the Chinese o'levels are over..but otherssay that there's still prelim 3 for chinese so that chinese can be used to appeal to your JC thorugh your prelims...so yea...please comment if there should be Chinese exam even if the chinese o'levels are offically over(except maybe for those who intends to retake).
okay...b4 that
ANSWER to previous challenge:
some drama there...lol. Wasn't that hard right?
try this one:
Not simple right? but for synth rock lovers, this song is probably very familiar, once again the instructions:
Listen
Guess the Song name and Artist
Find out the answer on my next Posts
Enjoy!
lol...now that SYF is over, Chinese O'levels are over, what's left..the rest of the subjects in English..sigh things have not been too good these few days. have been bombarded with Maths and humanities homework, plus some english and physics homework to add up to that pile of papers, so far, i dun rmb doing any of my tuition hw yet...lol...becuz I probably dun have the time to..
But life in school is not that stressful after all. there still some sense of humour in the air like how we usually argue with the teacher to compromise hw deadlines.
The following piece of artwork is also a another example why life in school isn't that bad:
“You told us to put our chairs on the table,
but you didn't specify how you wanted it to be placed.”
- An artwork by Luke Nicholas Lim Wei Ren
okay, here's some background information in case some of you don't get the joke. well, like every routine in the classroom duty roster, we had to sweep the floor, clear our the bin, clean the board and arrange the tables and chair neatly. However, the slight difference is that we were also assigned to put the chairs on the table as part of the arrangement of tables and chairs so that it would be easier for people on duty to sweep the floor since the chairs does not get into the way unlike pushing them between the legs of the table.
Well, since we were pretty much bored of putting it upright and straight on the table, why not change the old routine a little? So, Luke and a few of his friends came up with this idea of placing the chair in such a manner as shown above by sloting its legs into the compartment underneath the tabletop. After all, it does not really get in the way of sweeping the floor, and even if it does, nobody would bother to sweep the floor anyway.
Well, so far we did not fail the classroom cleaniless check this week, nor were we punished because of this. It's probably because the teachers could appreciate our form of art in school just by using simply a chair and a table in a classroom setting. So during this period, let us all learn the proper way the distress perhaps through doing some artwork like Luke, or even crack some jokes to liven the spirit in school. Sometimes even arguments with the teacher, brings some ways of humour in our daily lives in school too.
lol....i promised to blog again after the Chinese O's but I guess it is not over yet...today, i just took my Chinese oral today so I'm left with the Chinese Listening Comprehension which I'm certain that i will own it..unless I am absent of course...
anyway, back to the Song Rec Test, for those who are still cracking your head over the name of this song...let me enlighten you...
THE MAN WHO CAN'T BE MOVED by THE SCRIPT
and so, here the next challenge:
well, this is too easy for rock listeners...but I understand that there are a few who sill didn't know this song...so please help them by answering this song rec test correctly..the song name and artists...so:
Listen
Guess the Song name and Artist
Find out the answer on my next Posts
okay, back to the chinese o'levels...according to my entry prove I only have:
so it won't be long b4 i totally neglect chinese for the rest of the year as the remaining subjects I'm taking for O'levels are all in Englilsh...hopefully I won't neglect chinese for the rest of my life...
anyway, today's oral examination was a tense one...indeed very tense...we came in early at 12.30pm way before our oral starts at 2.15pm for a briefing of what to do and what not to do during the examinations...yawn..the same thing again and again...Greet, Smile, and Thank your examiners...maintain silence in the hall...and blahblah show your IC and entry prove what not....
so there I was sitting with my classmates and other schoolmates in the neighbouring class...our bags have been placed at the side of the hall and all I had was two oral revesion notes (which weren't exactly very helpful to me) and my IC and entry prove(though I later realised that an entryprove was not required)..
We have been told not to leave the hall b4 3pm to ensure none of us will blurt the topics covered in the oral conversation to latecomers...so candidates who arrive after 3 pm will not get to take the oral examinations...so, I'm not revealing what the topics are at least untill the Chinese Oral examinations end...
Anyway, this is a grave sin I guess that I did in this Oral examinations...i seriously pray hard no SEAB staffs are reading this...
Image this...I was in a quiet school hall..the slightly smaller than the size of size of three volleyball courts and I happen the be seating where the examiners are across the other end of the hall..and thorugh the slience, I overheard the coverstion question in short abrupt phrases....
Immediately I knew the subject for the conversation...so I kinda panicked since I was rather unfamiliar with this topic...so I actually had some last minuete preperations before the oral examinations :P. So i guess having a good ear sometimes do have their advantage..
So yah, to SEAB, I apologise for the little cheat code I used...but to others, if you can maintain slience in the hall and have good ears...you might be able to get clues from the oral examination...so let this be one of the good reasons why you should maintain slience in the examination hall...
so that's all, take it or leave it is up to you guys then...
