Testing one two three

I am testing the whole email to This add and it will post it on your blog thing. So Here's a lame joke:

What is calcium silicate's favourite watch brand?

CaSiO3.

Wahahahahahahaha.

Okay so it wasn't that funny.

Sent from my iPhone

Toilet Musings on One of THE MOST common misconception of all time.

I was erm, undergoing egestion, and reading The Straits Times report on Singaporean parents spending a collective sum of $860 million (if i am not wrong) on Private Tuition in a year, when this thought suddenly hit me.


Calling someone intelligent is not a compliment. It is nothing more than stating a fact just like, 'my hair is brown' or 'i have 10 fingers'. Because whoever said that intelligence was good? Or worthy of praise? Who decided that the speed and depth in which we process things can be deemed as good or bad? Somewhere along the lines of humanity, we just decided that it was good to be smart, or intelligent. (Probably because of capitalism but anyways..)

This has got to be one of the most, common misconception of all time, that smart=good, slow/not smart=bad.
Know why? Because Sometimes Slow people are the ones with the biggest hearts around, and smart people, the jerks of society (not all of course... note the word: sometimes).
So.... Bottom line?
It isn't praise when someone calls you smart/intelligent/bright/clever, it is just a fact.
Conversely, neither is it an insult when someone deems you as slow, dim-witted, or stupid.
Whoever said *stupid was bad?


*note: stupid in the context of the degradation term of being intellectually slower. Not stupid in the context of making unwise, senseless, reckless decisions. That kind of stupid, is really well deserving to condemn poor decision-making or character or attitude.

things.just.keep.on.getting.better.and.better.

Look what i've found.
My dad's old Nikon SLR F-501.
OMG. It's like the grandfather of all SLRs.
It has been kept in mint condition since he bought it in mid 1980s i think.
I stayed up all night till like 2 30am just reading the manual from start to finish.
Had a crash course on how to use this rather complex machine with seemingly a button and a lock for everything. It was pretty interesting actually. And i know in this day and age of act-smartness no one really reads the manuals anymore, but i did! ;))) haha
Half the terms i don't even get, like exposure (i am guessing this is the amount of light let in), ISO, aperture, and only about a gizallion other photographic vocab i don't know about.
But i think what helps is having learned the human eye, you see a lot of similarities between a camera and the human eye, you even start to think it was an optician who invented the camera.
No kidding.
Like the ISO, is something like photoreceptors on your retina.
Because its all about The sensitivity of light. Apparently, the higher the ISO the more sensitive it becomes to light, and not much light therefore is needed for an image to be produced which would also mean the more grainy the photo might turn out. - this i don't know why.
I also realised that a lot of people too do not understand the camera, or photographic vocab. I asked my brother what ISO meant, he rambled on. At the end of that, he still couldn't really give me a very good definition of ISO, it was full of vague-i-rities (if there is sucha word), throwing in all sorts of other camera terms which don't make sense to me.
So then, I asked my pops, he too, same thing, threw in a buncha camera terms, but when i asked specifically, didnt really know what aperture was either.
Apparently it seems, most people only have a vague idea of photographic terms, but that is all, just a vague idea. And i am not satisfied with vague ideas, i want specifics, because that is the only way i can truly understand, and when i can truly understand the camera and its functions, can i truly unleash the true potential of a camera or at least utilize it to its maximum capabilities.

Anyways,
I saw some of the shots my dad took with it, one word: beau-ti-ful.
Absolutely beautiful.
Very natural portraits of my eldest brother when he was a toddler.
I can't wait to snap real shots of real people.
I want to bring it to school but that is going to be a bit of a problem because:

(a) Natural reaction of modern day teenagers, "OMG LEMME TRY!" - gropes camera with unsanitary hands, takes shaky narcissistic shots. This is a problem because my dad told me specifically to Look after it. It's almost like a heirloom treasure. Plus, it isn't digital which means to say every shot has to be accounted for. I can't delete it and i have to pay for each photo, both good and bad.

(b) It might get stolen. Some discipline teacher just warned us on friday, that more and more valuables have been lost (possibly stolen) lately. :s

(c) It is really bulky. I mean the camera itself is still alright, but i have to carry it in a big black bag. Not really very ideal for a travel-light person like me. The whole camera bag will probably even weigh more than my school bag. (haha!)

Hmmmm.... so yeah that's pretty much it.
But i really want to snap beautiful shots of my classmates/schoolmates, teachers, security uncles, and janitors in school!!
I love our school uniform and the whole scene in school.
It has such beautiful, bright colours.
No guts, no glory.
Sigh.... i just need a plan.
Think, pris, think.
Just think of all those bright and beautiful smiles you are going to miss capturing.
Physical, tangible memories.
think, think, think.

All grown up... (or at least half way there...)

Singapore. My Homeland.

I just read an online news website that's pretty much Anti-PAP (current ruiling party of Singapore Govt.)

I was reading the views and the articles and i could not help but arrive at this conclusion:

If you truly seek the better of this nation, then if you see a problem don't just complain about it and go on a unless rant, effect real change. Everyone is a citizen of Singapore, come of age, and everyone will be able to stand for office or election. If you think that there is a problem, then fix it. Don't just keep complaining. Rise above the system, gain the confidence of the people, enter politics the legal and honest way and fix the things that you see broken in our society. Create the Singapore you want to see. If not, i don't see the point in voicing all your discontent so rudely since it already has been deemed as useless. There is no need to stir up unnecessary tension and solidify the mold that Singaporeans are complainers.

I just think that we should be looking at the true intent of our hearts, and the reality of our actions. Are we really doing all this to seek a better nation? Or are we simply doing all this out of resentment? And are our actions in line with the true intentions of our heart. If not, i suggest then, to stop. Because it has therefore been rendered useless, and all that is being done, is of no use to anyone or to our society, they become nothing more than angry words with unaccomplished or ambiguous intentions.

Let's go with actions more than we go with words.

May God Bless Singapore.

I am on a Roll....

Just came back from school a little bit over 2 hrs ago...
JUST FINISHED MY LAST ROLL OF FILM! oh and prelims too. (heh)
Bio paper 1 was really sly. Must have been a fox who had set it.
Anyways, so today is a happy happy day despite it raining now (but rain is good too.. SLEEEEP!)
Cause my prelims are officially over.
But of course, thats just the beginning of the end.
Os in exactly 59 days i think... either that or 69. Can't remember what i saw on the big count down banner today.
I went home with sarah ann and joce.
Took lotsa photos in school!
My gratitude to all the "i-am-shy-but-i-would-still-gladly-oblige-you" subjects of my photographs, especially nat (the hippie) who cut out class (under the pretense of going to the toilet) just so that i could snap a photo of her.
You guys were a bunch of gracious folks..... ;)
Stay tuned for the photos.....
On a side note, i wonder how long it takes for them to develop usually. Hmmm...

Smile.......

So... i wanted to buy a camera.
Yesterday, i waltzed into challenger and saw them advertising the new Sony Nex 5.
I was won over almost immediately by the brochure.
I mean...... HD video recording... half a bunch of technology terms i dont even understand but sounded really impressive...
So of course i wanted to buy it.
But obviously, me being me, i had no money, and a camera isn't exactly a pressing need right now even though i am going to graduate soon from secondary school and may never see my classmates ever again.
So i did the next best thing.
I recalled having this really old Minolta film camera from like a bizillion years ago.
I rummaged through my things the moment i got home from school today (after Chem Paper 1 which was kinda tricky and sly but anyways..)
AND I FOUND IT.
I was really happy!
I rushed downstairs, to buy a new roll of film and a battery costing me... all of $11.00+. =)
And so far.. i have already taken 6 shots. 2 of my brother, 4 of my house. (the exterior... as in the HDB blocks...) All in all i have 36 shots so 30 left.
I am saving it for school tomorrow.
Quite excited.
Hope i remember to whip it out and take a few shots with my friends tomorrow!

改变心 A Change of Heart

I think people are really weird. Sometimes even un-understandable.

There has been a rising trend in singaporean chinese (maybe just the english speaking ones) not learning mandarin. Or taking little interest in it.
And i think i know why.
But firstly, here is the number one misconception as to why this is happening:
Chinese is uncool. (perceived perception of youths)

Here is why i think that this is a misconception:

Ah.... The whole, "chinese-is-uncool" thing, Ya... firstly no one says uncool to describe uncool. Like Ever. That's just...... stupid. (ha!) And secondly how can a means of communication be considered 'uncool'??? That's just stupider than saying uncool. It's a friggin language for crying out loud! Language. A means of expression. Sorry... but it being even considered 'un-cool' is just such a bad catagorization that it becomes an inconguent idea or comparision that doesn't even make anymore sense. It's like.... saying.... bread is uncool. WHAT ON EARTH RIGHT. Precisely my point.
So there you go, the number misconception of why singaporean chinese (english speaking ones) are not learning their chinese, BUSTED RIGHT OPEN.

Now more importantly, here is the real reason why (english speaking) Singaporean chinese don't really like learning chinese, or take little interest in their mother tongue. (as according to an english-speaking singaporean chinese youth)

The reason is that, it is not so much of the language that we have problems with (honestly chinese isn't hard to learn. COME ON, if we can do Additional Mathematics we can do anything, let alone chinese, it is all in the mind), rather it is the kind of lifestyle it is associated with.
Let's be very honest, chinese-speaking s'porean chinese, lead vastly different lifestyles from english-speaking s'porean chinese. And i am not saying it to stir up disenssion what so ever, i am saying it as an honest social fact with all objectivity in place.
When i mean lifestyle, i mean the choices and the preferences that we have.
Chinese-speaking S'porean chinese would generally like chinese music, idolize chinese singers or celebrities, watch chinese dramas/films which would then influence the way they dress, the way they speak and they way they carry themselves on a whole.
And this is exactly the same for English-speaking S'porean chinese.
English-speaking S'porean chinese would generally, like english/western music, watch western movies, idolize western singers/celebrities and this in turn influences the way they dress, speak, the way they carry themselves on the whole and it even influences the approach they have towards life.

This isn't wrong. It is just a matter of preference. Of Lifestyle.
But I think it is also quite clear how different these 2 groups of people are.
And thus the problem of lesser and lesser singaporean chinese learning their mandarin well is not because of some mind bending reason of it being 'uncool' but rather, of it being associated with the kind of lifestyle and choices chinese speaking s'porean chinese have that the english-speaking s'porean chinese would rather not be associated with for whatever reason.

Makes sense? Well, at least to me it does.

Thus, having identified the 'real' problem, 'real' in inverted commas cause i am not a qualified socialogist, just some young punk making observations, i shall go on to suggest a solution. A cure.

Mindsets, that the chinese language is associated with the kind of lifestyle choices english-speaking s'porean youths don't really prefer, should be broken down.
It would be unfair to ourselves (english speaking s'porean chinese youths) and might i add even stupid that we see the chinese language that way.
We are missing out on learning such a truly beautiful language, in which we would find it to be if we would just put away our prejudices towards the language and gave it an honest and fair look.
It only dawned on me that chinese was such a beautiful language when i was studying it, a month before my Os. (yes i know... kinda late huh..)
Every word has a story behind it. Every character has a certain order in which the strokes are to be delivered. (bi hua)
And most of all, what i like best about chinese is the fact that it is.... a very deliberate emotion-evoking language. Chinese really brings out the emotions in a sentence. And it's just so beautiful that way.
A pictorial and meaningful language all rolled into one.
This is Our language.
My language.
Your language. (if you are chinese)

Even though i eventually scored a C5 in Chinese, and am not planning to retake it, i still strongly believe that Chinese is important because of who we are. It just doesn't make sense to me if you do not even know how to speak your own native tongue. It's as if you lose your ethnicity, and try to become a part of another in which you will never be at the same time.

I actually look forward to studying Chinese again in J.C, even though i know it will be an uphill climb considering all my neglect towards it for many years. But nonetheless, i am confident that if my heart is in the right place, things will change and my proficieny of the language will hopefully eventually improve over time.

Do you know what our REAL Problem is?

It is this:

We obsess over the things that don't matter,(celebrities.fame.fortune.appearance)
and are indifferent to the things that do matter.
(wars.famines.people.floods.injustice)

That's.Our.Problem.

we are so blessed to be brought up in a first world country.
but what about others?
God help us.

Hypocrite.Hypocrite.Hypocrite.

Before you jump to conclusions, i would just like to say that this post isn't going to be about me badmouthing someone. I don't do that, cause.... i dont know i generally dont believe in writing about people that way on the internet. I find it rude and useless. Because firstly, if its a problem, you dont have to let everyone know about it and secondly, nothing beats Personal confrontation. Saves everyone from all the heartache. But that's just me. I guess you could call it personal preference.

Anyways, disclaimers aside (haha yes that was a disclaimer.. well sorta) I just wanted to share some thoughts about hypocrisy.

I think the issue most accused of, of humans, and by humans, is that we are hypocrites.
And i know in particular, christians tend to get slammed a lot for this.
Here's the controversial part: I, actually agree that yes christians are hypocritical, just like everyone else. We are but only all humans. Mere mortals.

To me, hypocrisy is simply the most concrete evidence of how much people need God.
So yes, christians can at times be hypocritical, because just like everyone else, we too need God.
Everyone generally desires to do good, but whether we achieve it or not is another thing altogether.
The fact that our intentions do not match our actions just goes to show our inadequacies as humans because of our fallen nature and how much we need God to change that part of us.

As Paul puts it in Romans 7,

^{" 18} I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

¹⁹ For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do— this I keep on doing."

I believe that the World will be in a much better state if Everyone could just be a little more understanding and realise the reality of ourselves: that we are flawed, broken, messed-up and in total need of a God who can and will make it all right if we let Him.
Instead of all the finger pointing, and the blaming, realise the reality of how each one of us is as guilty as the person next to us. Everyone is a hypocrite, because everyone is inadequate.

On the other hand, i am not trying to justify the wrong things we do by simply saying, "oh because i am fallen, it legitimizes the wrongs that i commit".
No, this is what you call, abuse of grace.
And its a no-no.
All i am saying is that, if we look at the core of the problem of hypocrisy, right at the crux of the matter, we'll find a heart sincere but unable to do what is right because of our fallen human nature. And this in itself is an expression of how much we need God.

my so-called 'swear' words:

People say crude things like, "s***" or "b****".

But.. i think i am rather polite i say....

either

a. Repulsive
b. Sickening
c. sly
d. grotesque (this is a new addition)

Love these photos.

And not in a carnal way.
But i think they're really artistic.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh no.

i am gonna fail bio.
I. didnt. study. at. all. today.

I feel like i am onna holiday.

WAKE.UP.PRIS.PRELIMS.THIS.MONDAY.ITS.NOT.OVER.YET.

on a side note: 9pm rui en/chenliping starting in exactly 8 mins.

ohmahgosh. imma goner.

Drum roll pls............

INTRODUCING.... MR.JAMES MORRISON.
my new musical fascination.

There's just something about him that feels... real. honest. raw. Just the way music should be. The purest form of expression. In this day and age of the bieber-fever-bug, the jonas-cannot-sing-brotherhood, and more... morrison is sucha musical gem and relief that real music still exists in our world today.
Come on world, bring back the standards in music.
Bring back the standards to everything.



Does anyone else think he bears a striking resemblance to coldplay's Chris Martin??
Hmm... must be a brit thing.

Ahhhh............... Its Home Sweet Home mah friends.

I am so sorry blogger.
I know, i have been unfaithful. Cheating on you with wordpress first and then tumblr.
But hey! at least the prodigal blogger has returned. =) (as in all good stories...)

Anywhose.... Ah.... life's been really.... hmmm... no word (or words) to describe it actually.
Well just to update you, i've got a C5 for my Chinese Os.
Pretty decent. Considering i did not even finish the written paper. Got merit for oral. (could have gotten Distinction if not for the mess-ups).
But on the whole, thankful.
I thank God for Grace, His grace.

This week have been busy prelim-ing.
Erm screwed SS and History. (THERE IS SERIOUSLY NOT ENOUGH TIME. I MEAN, COME ON, YOU WANT QUALITY? THEN JUST GIVE ME A FRIGGIN 30 MORE MINS! on a side note, my handwriting would come out neater and more legible too. ;)

Oh well, but life's like that aint it?
I just read becky's blog. Pretty inspiring.
But not in the... "Oh.my.gosh. i have a new goal in life" kinda thing.
Its more like the, "man! this girl can write, shes really funny and i wanna write like that too!" kinda thing. Yeah inspires me to blog i guess.
Anyways if you wanna know what i am talking about head down to frontrowseat.onsugar.com
(i guarantee, you will laugh. If you dont, you have dont have a sense of humour. Period)

So.... besides preliminar-ing, have been watching the 9 o clock chinese show on channel 8.
Unriddle or something. ITS.PRETTY.alright. haha. er... actually cause... i dont know, i like the star-studded cast it has but abhor the terrible plot and awkward action scenes. (no offence stunt man or co-ordinator or whoever) I guess thats Singapore film for you.
Kinda sad, i actually think we do have a lot of talent, just... underdeveloped and its not being given proper recognition for it.

Hmm.. oh yes and just to end off, listen to Jason Mraz's feat. James Morrison's, "Details in the fabric". Its funny cause... i never really liked it at first. I even remember tapping the "next-song-arrow" button on the iPod of my phone. But recently, the song just started playing in my mind for no reason. And now i actually open iTunes just to listen to it. I guess... its an acquired taste. Just like all the finer things in life. ;)