More pictures from CNY 2007

Today is the last day of this year's Chinese New Year. To sum it up... this year is a pretty boring year. Busy during the weekdays with common tests and school activities, busy with marking the papers to prepare keying in the marks after comon tests. Blah blah blah blah...

Here are some pictures from this year's thoughts...

CNY Gathering (Cont')

This is what happens when you passed a camera phone to some enthusiastic kids!

CNY Gathering

My secondary school friends and I had a CNY barbecue gathering last night. We've known each other for like 20 years! The group had shrunk and grown over the years with the addition of spouse and their kids!
This year we had our gathering at Joan's place. We had barbecue and Joan also made lots of other fantastic food. (Joan, offer still stands if you decided to open a catering business ;-) ) Here's some pictures of them taken using the phone camera (sorry! Too busy eating)

More song lyrics

This song always make me feel sad...

Jesse - Joshua Kadison

From a phone booth in Vegas, Jessie calls at 5 A.M.

to tell me how she's tired of all of them.

She says, "Baby, I been thinking 'bout a trailer by the sea.

We could go to Mexico... you, the cat and me.

We'll drink tequila and look for sea shells.

Now, doesn't that sound sweet?"Oh, Jessie, you always do this every time I get back on my feet.

Jessie paint your pictures 'bout how it's gonna be.

By now I should know better, your dreams are never free.

But tell me all about our little trailer by the sea;

Jessie you can always sell any dream to me.

Oh, Jessie, you can always sell any dream to me.

She asks me how the cat's been. I say, "Moses he's just fine

but he used to think about you all the time.

We finally took your pictures down off the wall.

Oh, Jessie, how do you always seem to know just when to call?"

She says, "Get your stuff together. Bring Moses and drive real fast."

And I listen to her promise, "I swear to God this time it's gonna last."

Jessie paint your pictures 'bout how it's gonna be.

By now I should know better, your dreams are never free.

But tell me all about our little trailer by the sea;

Jessie you can always sell any dream to me.

Oh, Jessie, you can always sell any dream to me.

I'll love you in the sunshine, lay you down in the warm white sand.

And who knows, maybe this time things'll turn out just the way you planned.

Jessie paint your pictures 'bout how it's gonna be.

By now I should know better, your dreams are never free.

But tell me all about our little trailer by the sea;

Jessie you can always sell any dream to me.

Oh, Jessie, you can always sell any dream to me.

Country Songs

Friend and I were talking about country songs. They make such good ballads and touching stories. Here are some songs we talked about... If you know anything else that's good let me know too. Thanks in advance.

1) Jesus, take the wheel - Carrie Underwood
2) In my daughter's eyes - Martina McBride
3) Bless the broken road - Rascal Flatts
4) Love, me - Collin Raye (All time favourite!)

The lyrics:

Jesus, take the wheel - Carrie Underwood

She was drivin' last friday on her way to cincinnati

On a snow white Christmas Eve

Goin' home to see her Momma and her Daddy

With her baby in a back seat

Fifty miles to go and she was runnin' low

On faith and gasoline

It'd been a long hard year

She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention

She was goin' way too fast

Before she knew it she was spinnin on thin black sheet of glass

She saw both their lives flash before her eyes

She didn't even have time to cry

She was so scared, she threw her hands up in the air

(Chorus)

Jesus take the wheel

Take it from my hands'

Cause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go

Give me one more chance

Save me from this road I'm on

Jesus take the wheel

It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder and that car came to a stop

She cried when she saw that baby in the back seat sleepin' like a rock

For the first time in a long time she bowed her head to pray

She said I'm sorry for the way

I've been livin' my life

I know I've got to change

So from now on tonight

(Repeat chorus)

In my daughter's eyes - Martina McBride

In my daughter's eyes, I am a hero.

I am strong an' wise,And I know no fear.

But the truth is plain to see: She was sent to rescue me,

I see who I wanna be, in my daughter's eyes.

In my daughter's eyes, everyone is equal,

Darkness turns to light,And the world is at peace.

This miracle God gave to me,

Gives me strength when I am weak.

I find reason to believe, in my daughter's eyes.

An' when she wraps her hand around my finger,Oh, it puts a smile in my heart.

Everything becomes a little clearer.I realise what life is all about.

It's hangin' on when your heart has had enough;

It's givin' more when you feel like givin' up.

I've seen the light: it's in my daughter's eyes.

In my daughter's eyes, I can see the future.

A reflection of who I am,An' what will be.

An' though she'll grow an', some day, leave:Maybe raise a family,

When I'm gone, I hope you'll see,

How happy she made me,

For I'll be there, in my daughter's eyes.

Bless the broken road - Rascal Flatts

I set out on a narrow way many years ago

Hoping I would find true love along the broken road

But I got lost a time or two

Wiped my brow and kept pushing through

I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you

Every long lost dream led me to where you are

Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars

Pointing me on my way into your loving arms

This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you

I think about the years I spent just passing through

I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you

But you just smile and take my hand

You've been there you understand

It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true

Every long lost dream led me to where you are

Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars

Pointing me on my way into your loving arms

This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you

Now I'm just rolling home

Into my lover's arms

This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you

That God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you.

Love, Me - Collin Raye

I read a note my grandma wrote back in nineteen twenty-three.

Grandpa kept it in his coat, and he showed it once to me.

He said,"Boy, you might not understand, but a long, long time ago,

Grandma's daddy didn't like me none, but I loved your Grandma so.

"We had this crazy plan to meet and run away together.

Get married in the first town we came to, and live forever.

But nailed to the tree where we were supposed to meet, instead

Of her, I found this letter, and this is what it said:

If you get there before I do, don't give up on me.

I'll meet you when my chores are through;

I don't know how long I'll be.

But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see.

And between now and then, till I see you again,

I'll be loving you. Love, me.

I read those words just hours before my Grandma passed away,

In the doorway of a church where me and Grandpa stopped to pray.

I know I'd never seen him cry in all my fifteen years;

But as he said these words to her, his eyes filled up with tears.

If you get there before I do, don't give up on me.

I'll meet you when my chores are through;

I don't know how long I'll be.

But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see.

And between now and then, till I see you again,

I'll be loving you. Love, me.

Between now and then, till I see you again,

I'll be loving you. Love, me.

Are Singaporeans so rich nowadays?

I was walking past a void deck with a friend when my friend noticed a box of stuff that was thrown away. We approached the box and discovered packets of mushrooms, cans of food, medicine and also other food stuff 'left' by their previous owner.

We were surprized that they actually threw away food like that. Are Singaporeans so rich nowadays that with the yearly Chinese New Year spring cleaning exercise we can just throw away stuff that are still ok for use?

A friend from Sri Lanka came back to visit also commented when he saw a writing table and sofa set thrown away at a void deck that furniture in that condition would still be repaired and reused if they are in Sri Lanka. Singaporeans just end up buying a new one! It does makes perfect sense by donating them to the needies.

I have seen kids under financial assistance in school fall under 2 categories - one where they are so poor that they have no money for food during recess and the other where they are still able to affort some luxuries like an MP3 player or a handphone. The 2 extremes in our society seems to be widening - the rich getting richer while the poor are struggling and getting poorer.

A week ago, I picked up a Yamaha piano/organ bench that was thrown away. It was in perfect condition - no tear, no scratches. Probably the owner simply has no space for a chair that size... It's now placed beside the main door for me to sit when I put on my shoes. I've been wanting to buy a nice looking bench to put there. Thanks whoever he/she is!!!

Organic Vegetable Farm

A friend introduce to us during a gathering about this organic vegetable farm. Some friends went on a shopping spree on vegetables and showed us what they've bought. $1.50 - $2 per pack. The vegetables come with the roots intact. Will try to visit here in the future.

I also know of a goats farm where you can buy goats milk. Anyone who knows anything also natural and interesting, let me know.

Update...

It's been a couple of weeks since I updated the blog. Very busy with work. Here's a list of stuff I've been doing:
1) Tons of drawings to mark from the classes I teach! Would be nice if everyone submits his/her work on time.
2) There are also some problems with the upper secondary kids. Some of them don't even want to come to school regularly. Just don't know what they want to do next time!
3) In the SWC this year, preparing for upcoming CNY celebrations.
4) Preparing lessons... trying to make it interesting so that kids will turn up for lessons.

Pretty boring stuff hor!
Update with pictures next time!
Ciao!!!

Dinner at Brios

Went Brios Cafe(Grand Copthorne) for dinner with a friend. They had a 2 for 1 promotion with UOB credit card. The total bill came to about $46 dollars. That's only $23 per person!!! The food was good. There were sushi, sashimi, chilled seafood, escargot (snails), Peranakan food (the lamb rendang was fantastic!), western cuisines and pastries. There's even a chocolate fondue where you can have strawberries, marshmallows, cakes drenched in chocolate! Managed to take some pictures during the meal. Pardon the bad composition!

It's praying time again!

It's time again for praying to ancestors. This is normally done before the Chinese New Year. Clothes and spending money made of paper are 'sent' to them. It's like sending them a 'bonus' for them to prepare for the new year.

Butter cake from a breadmaker

What you are looking at is a butter and sultana cake that was made using a breadmaker. It actually measured about 10cmx10cmx5cm. It has the smell of a cake, the taste of a cake but the looks of a badly made bread. It's soft on the inside. But no way will it looked like a cake! (more like a hardened loaf of bread that failed to rise)

The cake was pretty good if you can bypass it's looks.

More pictures from the phone

Was having breakfast on Saturday and took the first picture at the shop beside the coffeeshop at JooChiat. It's a tailor shop. I think they do the laundry too. I have not seen such a shop in Singapore for so long already. I remembered when I was younger (about 5-8 years old) my grandfather had this ironing shop in Chinatown which he opened with a couple of my granduncles. I remembered seeing that they are always ironing the laundry and folding them nicely or hanging them up. Sad to say, with all these re-development happening around Chinatown, the shop is long gone and I can't remember where it used to be.

Found these cans of soup at Cold Storage supermarket. Checked out the ingredients. It's actually the Scottish slang for chicken and leek soup. And no, I did not buy a can of soup that day...

Dangerous driving!

I've noticed that more and more drivers are using their handphones without the headsets while driving nowadays. Don't understand why they want to pick up the phone while they are driving. They should have plugged in the headsets even before they started driving!

Was driving yesterday evening on AYE filtering out from Jurong Town Hall road when I saw this auntie sitting in her Renault Megane in the other lane. She was holding on to the steering wheel with one hand while the other hand was holding her handphone next to her left ear. Traffic was pretty bad due to the rain (it's been raining for a day already). I was thinking to myself as I drove away from her... I hope the other drivers around her will be alright if she decides to crash her car into the curb or something. (I know it sounds bad but I really can't stand anyone stupid enough to use the phone without a headset while driving that!!!)

Pictures from SE k800i phone

Bought a new phone recently, the Sony Ericsson k800i. Here's a picture taken using the phone. I was very surprised by the quality of the camera... 3.2 megapixels, auto focus, xenon flash. Tell me what you think of the picture quality.

More pictures from the US trip

More pictures from the US trip! I particularly like the last picture of the statue of liberty!

Pictures from US Trip

Here's some pictures from the US trip. I'll post more later...

Back from my US trip

Hello everyone!
First of all, let me say - a Happy New Year and wish that all of you will have a wonderful and great 2007!!!
Back from the US last week and finally have some time to blog about the trip. The trip was fantastic! Took many photos (although not as many as compared from the China trip in June but I'm very satisfied and happy with them).
I'm very happy that I brought the D80 along with this trip. Else with my PnS (S45), I don't think it will be very successful. A friend suggested that I place my pictures at Picasa Web Albums. I think I will do that. Check out the link afterwards. I will post some of my nice pictures here...

Here are my comments from the trip:

1) Wonderful food! I have never tasted pork and chicken that nice before. The portions were also pretty huge. 2 persons can share a main meal. We ordered a couple of apertizers, a main meal and maybe a dessert for sharing.

2) I've never tipped so much before! We had to leave a tip (about 20% of the total bill) at every restaurant or diner we ate at.

3) Attractions were pretty expensive! Taking the elevator to the top of the Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Building just to see the day and night views of New York City were quite expensive. But you had to do it since you are already there. So no choice...

4) People are nice to you! The Americans seem to be nicer people compared to those from the UK and Australia. At least they treated anyone who passes through the customs at the airport fairly (unlike the other 2 countries). I was asked as many questions as the caucasian guy in the next counter before I passed through.

Anyway, check out the pictures and the weblink coming soon...

Holiday (Finally!!!)

Going for a holiday today. Will be back in late December. Hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures while I'm holidaying.
Merry Christmas to everyone!!!
(Kids! See you back in school.)

"So madam, where and what are your suggestions?"

I was reading the Sunday papers when I came across an article at Webthreads titled "Is this the way to punish kids?"

The parent complained that primary school children were punished by keeping them in class during recess for up to 5 days in a row or cancelling PE periods. The parent also mentioned that recess is important to the kids to avoid hunger pangs and asked if these forms of punishment acceptable and do they serve their purpose?

I was not surprised that punishments were carried out during recess times as we also do that in my school. We have a 30 minutes recess period and sometimes, kids who really misbehaves during lessons or cannot complete their work will be let off 15mins late. This is done so to give them at least 10 mins to buy and eat their food. They will not have the time to play and chat with their friends. (10 mins is a long time to eat!) Kids who decided to skip food and play with their friends and remained hungry should not complain to their parents that they are punished with no food!

For parents who do not agree to this form of punishment might want to provide some suggestions as to how the kids should be punished.
I'm listing a few of possiblilities:
1) After school punishment - Maybe clean a toilet (as a group), clears the rubbish in the canteen, etc (Kid will learn responsibilities, or he/she will learn things the 'hard' way. Isn't that what we used to do. So how have we turned out to be?)
2) Multiple but shorter punishments carried out during the recess time throughout the week? (Doesn't makes sense to me. Why punish them the whole week for something they do say, on Monday?)
3) Have parent counselling the kid at home on when to talk appropriately, why he/she is misbehaving. (Since parent feel that school is not doing a great job, maybe the parent should step in. But having said that, I believe parents should already been doing a GOOD JOB, right?)

(These are just my ramblings and my thoughts... Keep an open mind, ok?)

These 2 shots (part of a fence) were taken during noon. The sun was behind the clouds and it started to rain after 10 minutes or so.

Thi 3rd picture was taken tonight in the car after the rain when I had nothing better to do...