Monday, January 31, 2005

INTELLECTUAL WHORES?

Who, me?

Read this on my cousin's blog - his sorry story about his completely fictitious alter ego. Sorry to burst your Bubble, Munche - but you are in my opinion one of the nicest, most gentlemanly and most eligible fellas around. But sorry girls, he's TAKEN (read this and this if you are not already confused enough) and will probably be enjoying his domestic bliss long before I ever get any guys interested in me.

Yes, back to the point of the story; that post was completely man-oriented, but I can't help but agree that there are certain qualities that females look for in males, and males look for in females. Aside from the obvious biological qualities, I wonder WHAT it is that makes one individual so irrestible, whereas another simply keeps on falling into the 'just-a-friend/intellectual-whore' category. Tell me your opinion! Comment! I love you too!

*shameless plug to get more comments on ahming's haloscan account*

Friday, January 28, 2005

AND ALL THE WOMEN SAY - AMEN!

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him, but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So the monarch offered him freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer. If, after a year, he still had no answer he would be put to death.

The question: What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and, to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everybody: the princess, the prostitutes, the priests, the wise men, the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. Many people advised him to consult the old witch--only she would know the answer. The price would be high; the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.

The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no alternative but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he'd have to accept her price first: The old witch wanted to marry Gawain, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend! Young Arthur was horrified: She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a repugnant creature. He refused to force his friend to marry her, and have to endure such a burden.

Gawain, upon learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He told him that nothing was too big a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table.

Hence, their wedding was proclaimed, and the witch answered Arthur's question thus:

"What a woman really wants is to be in charge of her own life."

Everyone instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it was. The neighboring monarch granted Arthur total freedom.

What a wedding Gawain and the witch had! Arthur was torn between relief and anguish. Gawain was proper as always, gentle and courteous.The old witch put her worst manners on display, and generally made everyone very uncomfortable. The hour approached. Gawain, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom.

But what a sight awaited him! The most beautiful woman he'd ever seen lay before him! The astounded Gawain asked what had happened.

The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she'd appeared as a witch, she would henceforth be her horrible, deformed self half the time, and the other half she would be her beautiful maiden self. Which would he want her to be during the day, and which during the night?

What a cruel question! Gawain pondered his predicament. During the day a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his home, an old witch? Or would he prefer having by day a hideous witch, but by night a beautiful woman with whom to enjoy many intimate moments? What would you do?

What Gawain chose follows below, but don't read until you've made your own choice.


Noble Gawain replied that he would let her choose for herself.

Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time, because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own life.

What is the moral of this story?

The moral is: If your woman doesn't get her own way, things are going to get ugly.

___________________________________________________________________
WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA

stemming from a reflection on snow~

rays of hot sun streamed in through the window -
child, laying on the rumpled bedcovers, eagerly devouring her story
of the mighty kingdom of Spare Oom and the great town of War Drobe
imagining that I, too, could escape my reality.
for that it what it is all about, no?
wishing that the common man, woman or child
too could change another's world.

That was in Primary 4 I think. And I remember the books I got from SMI too, with their freshly creased pages and lovingly hot-stamped "From the Library of SMI". How we treasured our books then; they were prizes to be sought on weekends when we had been exceptionally good; valued above television shows and soft toys. For an hour or two, to be lost to reality and immersed in the fantasy that Lucy and Susan and I were really, actually, almost the same - drawing parallels between their world and mine, and hoping that my wardrobe, too, would be a door to another world. Yes, golden-haired Lucy and raven-haired Susan; brave Peter and repentant Edmund (I think), and resplendent Aslan above all. Some say CSL wrote the books as an allegory of Christ; I don't remember, and I wasn't saved then, but it was the simple pleasure of letting my imagination take flight that drew me into my books again and again and again.

In the subsequent years, reading remained a first love, and it still is; one of my favourite ways to unwind on a day off is to curl up on my couch with a book and lose myself in its pages. That's become a rare luxury, though, given the constraints that fill my days. But hey, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder - and so I treasure my books all the more. Like old friends ranged along the corridors of my memory, they wait patiently for our acquaintance to be renewed. Yes, one day; the winter in Narnia IS eternal, after all. =)

WAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! I AM WAHTAH!

Water
You are water. You're not really organic; you're
neither acidic nor basic, yet you're an acid
and a base at the same time. You're strong
willed and opinionated, but relaxed and ready
to flow. So while you often seem worthless,
without you, everything would just not work.
People should definitely drink more of you
every day.


Which Biological Molecule Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Brings to mind the fave silly joke about Bruce Lee. His fave drink?? Wah-TAH!
Heyhey, I'm a Bruce Lee Fave! Line up now to kiss me, y'all!

BEST EXCUSES IF YOU GET CAUGHT SLEEPING IN YOUR CUBICLE

~ It's okay...I'm still billing the client.

~ They told me at the blood bank this might happen.

~ This is just a 15-minute power-nap like they raved about in the last time management course you sent me to.

~ I was working smarter, not harder.

~ Whew! Guess I left the top off the liquid paper.

~ I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new paradigm!

~ This is one of the seven habits of highly effective people!

~ I was testing the keyboard for drool resistance.

~ I'm in the management-training program.

~ This is in exchange for the six hours last night when I dreamed about work!

~ I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work-related stress. Are you discriminatory toward people who practice Yoga?

~ Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out a solution to that problem you told me about yesterday.

~ The coffee machine is broke....

~ Someone must've put decaf in the wrong pot.

~ Boy, that cold medicine I took last night just won't wear off!

~ I was crosstraining for telecommuting.

~ Ah, the unique and unpredictable circadian rhythms of the workaholic!

~ I wasn't sleeping. I was trying to pick up my contact lens without hands.

*from the ever-inimitable Mikey's Funnies.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

HAPPILY DOMESTICATED

I am living a domestic life, at least till my parents and uncle and aunt and cousins are back from their sojourn in Hong Kong and Jakarta.

Right now, let me take stock of the food substances available at home:
ONE small, overripe and rotting banana;
ONE cup of unidentifiable liquid floating in a MacDonald's paper cup, eek!
HALF a cup of milk (I think);
MANY containers of frozen leftovers;
TWO cans of *really* old canned drink;
ONE bowl of bowl noodles in Seafood flavour, which I can't eat;
SIX boxes of dog food.

I am so going to eat all my meals outside.


On the upside, having my aunt and uncle around means getting lots of presents. Close to twenty pieces of clothing and something like three years worth of cosmetics. And you know what? There's a common theme to the clothes! They are all:
1. strappy-spaghetti-or-halter affairs that cannot be worn to work
2. of approximately the same design, just in different colours
3. skimpy like anything

Eh, thanks eh.
Not that I'm mean, I DO appreciate the effort put in to lug ALL that stuff from Australia, but - HUH?

*sigh* and rolls eyes.

Look at the list of cosmetics and you will understand what I mean:
1. 1 Bloom blush
2. 1 Bloom eyeshadow quad
3. 1 Oopsidaisy powder (the name is just too funny. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)
4. 1 Bloom lip pencil
5. 1 face mister thingamajiggy
6. 1 entire pedicure set that comes in a traincase (oh man)
7. 1 full makeup set that comes in a container the size of a large coffee table book and (beat this) INCLUDES all the above mentioned items
8. 1 set of something like 30 lip glosses.

over the top, no?

___________________________________________________________________

As an aside, the MSN conversation I am having with JANice:


/Jâή-ήe-sis/ :: www.becauseofwinndixie.com says:
but no time to keep getting d words out..
ahming ~ un.funny says:
i knoe.. me too
ahming ~ un.funny says:
*sighz*
ahming ~ un.funny says:
once jan starts, all our blogging rates drop significantly!
/Jâή-ήe-sis/ :: www.becauseofwinndixie.com says:
me start wud?
ahming ~ un.funny says:
JANUARY la
ahming ~ un.funny says:
u dodo!
/Jâή-ήe-sis/ :: www.becauseofwinndixie.com says:
i'm a unique n extinct creature, i know


Thanks JANice dear, I love you too. *winks*

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

THINGS PEOPLE WON'T SAY WHEN THEY SEE A CHRISTIAN BUMPER STICKER

9. "Look! Let's stop that car and ask those folks how we can become Christians."

8. "Don't worry, Billy, those people are Christians. They must have a good reason for driving 90 miles an hour." (yes, we ARE testimonies on the road too!)

7. "What a joy to be sharing the highway with another car of Spirit-filled brothers and sisters."

6. "Dad, how come people who drive like that don't get thrown in jail? Can we get a bumper sticker like that, too?"

5. "Stay clear of those folks, Martha. If they get raptured, that car's gonna be all over the road!"

4. "Oh, look! That Christian woman is getting a chance to share Jesus with a police officer." (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I LIKE THIS!)

3. "No, that's not garbage coming out of their windows, Bert. It's probably gospel tracts for the road workers."

2. "Oh boy, we're in trouble now! We just rear-ended one of God's cars."

1. "Quick, Alice, honk the horn or they won't know that we love Jesus!"


how unfunny.

I am blogging out of sheer boredom at 1830 hours in school, having to stay in till my councillors finish their work. Not that I have nothing to do; the piled-up work stares at me from various corners of my table.. if i was a psychiatric case, it would be all too easy to imagine my papers creeping after me, exclaiming that I've neglected them. Argh! It's the attack of the Practical Papers! And they've allied themselves with the Lecture Notes! Urgh! I will NOT succumb! I WILL NOT! I will........ aieeeeeeeeeeeeee.... *and I fade off into darkness*.



What a piece of randomness! Sheesh!

Have I really nothing better to blog about??

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

ARE WE GORGEOUS OR NOT?!?

mwahahahaha sounds SO ah lian right????

But look! Me, Raine and Jan!



Love us! *muackz*

Sunday, January 23, 2005

COME WHAT MAY

Come, what, in May??

So that I can go to Jakarta and HongKong too! *bawls*

Ok, that was such a flat title, wasn't it? I am in such a flat mode. But it never happens to my body! Boohoo!

Before you all whack me, let me explain myself! My uncle, aunt and two cousins from Australia are coming to Singapore for their once-in-a-decade trip and my parents are planning to fete them by bringing them to Jakarta, home of my mothers' relatives, and HK! And poor ole me will be left bereft in Singapore, because it's the school term and I can't take leave! boohooo! Itinerary for my family for the next few weeks:

24th Jan, Monday: arrival of said relatives from oz
26th Jan, Wednesday: all 6 of my parents n relatives go to Jakarta
29th Jan, Saturday: return from JKT
1st Feb, Tuesday: fly to HK
4th Feb, Friday: return from HK
in time for CNY madness, which begins on 8th Feb Tuesday
they may also take a side trip to Malaysia somewhere along the CNY long weekend
and everyone leaves on the 17th or 19th, i forget which.

I WANNA GO TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come in May, lah! So that I can go also!

On the up side, though, it means I have more time to go out, use the car, and hang around with friends! Date me quick, all of you! *winks* the window of opportunity's short!

Note: this probably means that my photo-blog will be brimming with photos soon! yay yay!

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

WRITE AN ESSAY FOR FIVE MARKS?

I know how bad it is..

.. to eat pizza at 11.30pm, and then plop promptly onto my bed.

"As the food accumulates in my primed-for-bedtime gastrointestinal tract, peristalsis slows and egestion and excretion back up. Increased absorption of lipids, sugars and the meager amino acids in that slice of pizza will occur, due to the lack of gravitational and peristaltic forces to accelerate the movement of food through the ileum. Due to the lowered metabolic rate during sleep, less respiratory substrates are removed from the bloodstream and the circulating food substances are eventually removed, broken down and have their carbon skeletons converted into fatty acids. The amphibolic Krebs Cycle is now skewed in favour of fatty acid accumulation. As the fatty acids accumulate in the adipocytes, they swell in size to a large extent, giving the external appearance of an extra fat layer surrounding the abdomen."

Ugh. Can you believe I'm blogging like a Biology essay???

the physiological effects remind me of Super Size Me, the anti-fast-food film Jan's such an ardent supporter of.

i cannot help it though; i need the food to eat the panadol to subdue the headache that's been raging for two straight days. ugh! Fat versus headache. Fat wins hands down; at least I can exercise it off, but I can't so much else for my throbbing head.

Now, excuse me while I go nurse my Panadol, head and extra fat tyre.

I JUST WANT TO LIVE MY OWN LIFE.

My mother tried to ask about my salary and bonuses again this morning. What a transparent attempt to lead on to questions about job change and further studies. Countless tries in this direction by my well-meaning relatives/friends/friends of relatives/relatives of friends to get me out of my supposed 'dead-end job' because they feel i could be doing so much more, so much better, or earning so much more money have made me frustrated and numb to their nagging.

Is my job really THAT despised?? In the real world, when I tell others that I'm a teacher, the most common response is *raised eyebrows*, a forced "wow" followed up closely by a "how (insert appropriate noncommital adjective, like 'noble' or 'interesting'), and then a look that says 'I don't want my child to ever follow in YOUR footsteps because they'll be poor and stuck in a dead-end job for life.'

I hate it. I can't stand it. What's wrong with the work I do? And can't the very people I slave so hard for understand that I am doing this for their sakes??? Give me a choice? Sure, I'd have been an interior designer or professional photographer. That's where my interests lie. What would my parents/relatives/etc etc etc say then? 'Oh I wish you'd go back to teaching??'

Ultimately, what frustrates me is that their idea of 'improvement' is not MY idea of 'improvement'. Take a Masters', PhD, do a MBBS/PhD? Sorry folks, it's NOT what I want to do - it's what YOU want me to do. And why these things in particular? Well, they makes me a more prestigious person, a more qualified person, and perhaps, may I intimate, a better person for YOU to be associated with? Hmm?

My mother told me a story this morning, about how my uncle's disappointed in my cousin. Now, said cousin performed excellently in her Singapore-education-style exams, then promptly scooted off to Australia and got a degree in liberal arts (i think). Coming back, she worked for the Singapore Art Museum and ECNAD and fills her days with yoga, pilates and dance classes. She's obviously enjoying herself; why would her dad be disappointed in her then? BECAUSE he thinks she's wasting her life in dissipation. Unfortunately, she has a younger sister, and the parents' hopes are now wholly transferred onto her young shoulders. Perhaps she does not feel the pressure, because she's as blur as blur comes, and malleable to boot, but in the end which daughter will my uncle and aunt be more pleased with? The one who bent her dreams and desires to their will, of course. Who, subduing her individuality behind a mask of meekness, nods to whatever course her parents direct her on. Sheesh. What's the difference? Ask about one daughter - 'oh, *dismissive wave*, she's working at some dance company or the other, studied some major I can't even name' whereas for the other - *eyes brighten* 'studying forensic science in a good university, we have high hopes for her'. There IS NO BETTER OR WORSE life, uncle and aunt, especially since you are rich enough for both of my cousins to never have to worry about supporting you, so why do you disapprove of your daughter pursuing her own passion?

Am I having an identity crisis? Of course not. I am who I am, I am happy with who I am; but others who are not happy with where I am. Would I change my circumstances? Sure, but not in the way most people would have planned for me. I'm sorry, I live my own life, and I WILL have my own way. I understand and appreciate your sentiments, but it isn't the path I want to take.

Of course, all this is moot at the moment, given that I am still on bond and anyway need every cent of my 'supposedly' meager salary to support my parents, house and car. Looking back at friends from my secondary school, I see that they have chosen alternative careers too: a freelance baker, a teacher at a special school for the mentally disabled, a diving instructor, a feature writer for Her World. I presume, I suppose, but I believe one of the reasons why they could have taken up such careers is that they had no monetary concerns beyond their own. If I am wrong, forgive me; but precisely because of my financial situation, I am stuck where I am for the moment. Would I change to an alternative career, if I had the chance? I did dream of doing so once, but I believe I'm now too firmly entrenched in my middle-class work ethic to move so far out from the median. Anyway, it would probably kill my parents that the daughter they hope to be able to call 'Doctor' one day traipses off to dabble in interior design or something. Or worse, goes to Bible school. I'm just a step away from the *dismissive hand wave*, I know; I'm sorry if I have disappointed many. But I just want to live my life for myself and not for you.

Monday, January 17, 2005

ANOTHER ADDITION TO THE RESOLVE LIST..

.. to be more detailed and not to take things for granted. my heart bleeds for my leaders and friends when they have to spend time and effort mopping up my mistakes and checking on my counts. If I fail in one point, how can I - or my leaders - be sure that I have not made a mistake in other aspects? Even one instance of oversight necessitates the checking of all items, so I will not - I MUST NOT - let any detail pass me by.

Let me serve Your house and Your kingdom better, Lord. Truly, to be a doorkeeper in the house of my God is better than to be a king in the world.

YOUR NAME..

.. is like honey on my lips / Your Spirit like water to my soul / Your Word is a lamp unto my feet / Jesus I love You, I love You / Jesus, Jesus, Holy and anointed One, Jesus.

Sunday, January 16, 2005

MORE TO BE RENEWED..

More things to be added to my list of resolved stuff:

1. consistency and reliability - i need to learn better stress management, and to be consistent in the way i do things no matter the circumstances. i think my stress threshold is higher than many people's, but still not high enough to cope with all the things i have on my plate. so yes, i do need to learn to stretch in this area, and strive to be consistent in aiming for excellence always, in all things.

2. to lean more on God's strength to do my work - related to above. to see things not only from my human, fallible point of view, but even more, from the bird's eye view through Heaven's eyes. that all i strive and struggle with on my own strength is totally unnecessary, for Jesus tells us to come to him, we who are weary and heavy laden, and He will give us rest.

3. to improve my countenance - part of being professional, but i am professional not because i treat my ministry as work, but because i desire to be a like the fruit-bearing tree: aspiring to faithfulness, meekness and self-control.

spin on, my list. happy year!

Friday, January 14, 2005

resolve renewed

after just two weeks, i find i have to renew my resolve to be a better person this year. let the prayer of jabez remain in my mind - and let me lean on the Lord in all aspects - balancing work, finances, students, CCA, logistics, section duties, cell group commitments, dealing with people in all manners, and having the wisdom to balance this all. in times of uncertainty and tiredness, let me continue to hope on God - for He is my strength and salvation. Amen.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

TOP TEN CHRISTIAN PICK UP LINES..

SOOOOOOOOO unholy! But SOOOOOOOOOO funny!

10. "I just don't feel called to celibacy."
9. "Did I tell you that my great-uncle was a personal friend of Billy Graham?"
8. "I don't see it myself, but people tell me I look like Michael W. Smith."
7. "What do you think Paul meant when he said, 'Greet everyone with a holy kiss'?"
6. "You have the body of Amy Grant and the soul of Mother Teresa." (DO NOT get this confused!)
5. "You know, I'm really into relationship evangelism."
4. "I'm pretty flexible--I don't think a woman should be submissive on the first date."
3. "Before tonight, I never believed in predestination..."
2. "Just looking at you makes me feel all ecumenical."
1. "I hear there's going to be a love offering tonight."

I am not a proponent of the above, but it is just TOO funny. Hey, if anyone starts trying this, don't blame it on me - say it came from Mikey's Funnies.

THOUGHTS IN SCHOOL

Ugh, it's the second week of school, and I am already feeling weary of my seemingly never-ending list of things to do. If you notice, my blogs are looooooooooooong during the hols and short during the school term. Not only because I have no time to type down my thoughts, but even more so because I have no time to even think or reflect on the rather non-existent happenings of my days. Urgh.
I read my students' blogs; the 03 batch are constantly writing about purposelessness, new experiences in their temp jobs, their army stories - whereas the 04 batch ruminate on how busy they are, how school sucks and how they feel tired and defeated. Guess who I identify with.. and no prizes for guessing which group I would far rather belong to. I want to be a student again! To be at the beginning of my adulthood, where each new day might be the beginning of a new phase of life. Not going on *shudder* twenty-six! Oh man, I qualify to be in my "late twenties"! OH MY GOODNESS! SAVE MY LIFE!

*calms self down*

Talking to Kok Hoong yesterday on the way out of school - he being my professional AC, was asking if I would take on employment as direct staff of Hwa Chong. I'm still considering and praying about it, actually - there is no concrete reason I can give voice to that tells me not to, and the pay is *slightly* better. But it means that I'll have to commit to this organization for another two years at least, and I really am unsure how the system will change in this time period. Already my hair stands when I sing the school song during assembly to Chinese High's logo on the Hwa Chong Institution flag. I'm sorry, it's not that I am disloyal, but I am teaching here for sentimental reasons, and because I lived the best days of my student life in this college. Yet, with the influx of the IP students next year, will this school still be the school I remember and love? without diversity, a natural population is rapidly decimated; same for a school population, don't you think? Let me continue to ruminate..
Back to the blurb. Somehow we got to talking about dreams and desires, and I could see he was taken aback when I said I might go to Bible school in 2007. Ha! It really is the common perception that only pastors go to Bible college, isn't it? Among other dreams, I also want to volunteer / work overseas for some time (perhaps a year?), really study photography or interior design or architecture or something to do with art, to have a job that necessitates my travel to all parts of the world to work my magic (haha, like what??) on the most beautiful sights of the planet. Maybe an antique restorer? Or a tour guide? HAH! My foot! All these will remain dreams, and little more than dreams, till I can shake free of my financial shackles. But I want to, and I choose to believe, that the freedom to do whatever I want and whatever God calls me to do WILL be mine one day. Remember Dennis Balcombe.

Monday, January 10, 2005

ODE TO MY SCHOOLWORK

let me love you ~
you know i do..
vanish, that's all i ask of you.



Your EQ is

133

50 or less: Thanks for answering honestly. Now get yourself a shrink, quick!

51-70: When it comes to understanding human emotions, you'd have better luck understanding Chinese.

71-90: You've got more emotional intelligence than the average frat boy. Barely.

91-110: You're average. It's easy to predict how you'll react to things. But anyone could have guessed that.

111-130: You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt.

131-150: You are remarkable when it comes to relating with others. Only the biggest losers get under your skin.

150+: Two possibilities - you've either out "Dr. Phil-ed" Dr. Phil... or you're a dirty liar.


You scored as Aquamarine. Clever and alert, you know you can look after yourself and maybe others. You are quite confident in your own stability and you know you are capable of doing what you need. Somebody like you are valuable to have around as sharp-minds these days, may be considered a rarity.


See All Results/Comment



Aquamarine

77%

Peridot

73%

Emerald

67%

Celestite

67%

Athemyst

60%

Garnet

60%

Ruby

57%

Topaz

57%

Which Mystic Gem Stone Relates To You?
created with QuizFarm.com

Sunday, January 09, 2005

100M OF THE 1400M LONG FLAT RUNWAY

A random collection of flat jokes:

Q:what do you call a three legged donkey? A: a wonky!
Q:what do you call 5 blondes lined up, ear to ear? A: a wind tunnel
Q: what do you call a blonde with two brain cells A: EITHER 1) gifted or 2) pregnant

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are going camping. They pitch their tent under the stars and go to sleep. Some time in the middle of the night, Holmes wakes Watson up. "Watson, look up at the stars, and tell me what you deduce."
Watson says: "I see millions of stars and even if a few of those have planets, it's quite likely there are some planets like Earth; and if there are a few planets like Earth out there, there might also be life."
Holmes replies: "Watson, you idiot, somebody stole our tent!"

What goes ha ha bonk?
A man laughing his head off

Never criticise a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes. Then you will be a mile away from him, and you will have his shoes.


Friday, January 07, 2005

SERENDIPITY

.. is the result of clicking on Blogger's Navbar. I've found a site called 'Thoughts of Loy', which I linked in my sidebar - a very prayerful, insightful and inspiring journal.

An excerpt that strikes a chord in my heart particularly: the difference between an admirer and a follower of Christ. Read his January 2nd post for this year; it will make you re-examine your priorities and change your attitude.

Thursday, January 06, 2005

AND IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WANTED TO LIVE THERE AGAIN..

be a part of my own memories:
to smell the old smells and taste the old tang in the tar-laden air
weave through the old men and women and old plastic chairs
mosaic tables and floors and slow games of chess
astride thick-barked trees that grew old together with the land.

thirty years of accumulated grime squeezed between the bricked pavestones
sepia-toned conversations, childrens' laughter and a more innocent time
flash into memory; the stones at least remember.

it is no crime to be old.


~ Shakes fist at all the proponents of urban renewal. upgrade the facilities but preserve the flavour of the neighbourhood. ~




IT SURE PUTS THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE..

From Mikey's Funnies:

There once was a rich man who was near death. He was very grieved because he had worked so hard for his money and he wanted to be able to take it with him to heaven. So he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his wealth with him.

An angel hears his plea and appears to him, "Sorry, but you can't take your wealth with you."

The man implores the angel to speak to God to see if He might bend the rules.

The man continues to pray that his wealth could follow him. The angel reappears and informs the man that God has decided to allow him to take one suitcase with him. Overjoyed, the man gathers his largest suitcase and fills it with pure gold bars and places it beside his bed.

Soon afterward the man dies and shows up at the Gates of Heaven to greet St. Peter. Seeing the suitcase Peter says, "Hold on, you can't bring that in here!"

But the man explains to him that he has permission and asks him to verify his story with the Lord. Sure enough, Peter checks and comes back saying, "You're right. You are allowed one carry-on bag, but I'm supposed to check its contents before letting it through."

Peter opens the suitcase to inspect the worldly items that the man found too precious to leave behind and exclaims, "You brought pavement?!?!"

Sunday, January 02, 2005

A YEAR TO REMEMBER.. AND A YEAR TO LOOK FORWARD TO

2004 has been a year of ups and downs in many ways:

Emotionally, I was drained at the beginning of the year, but slowly got myself back together again; coming out of the valleys was not easy, and still is not; but I do believe I am more or less back in the light. Yes, it's still a tough memory to face, but I can at least recollect my past now with a clear-headed detachment. Experiences are nothing if we do not learn from them and distill points of learning to apply. My yesterday is nothing if I cannot apply it to my today, and use it to shape my tomorrows. In retrospect, I am glad; I can at least say that I have gone on to a new level. Without adversity, we can never grow. Reminds me of a song in Hwa Chong's repertoire: mei2 you3 pu4 bu4 yu3 yan2 shi2 de zu3 dang2, xi1 shui3 jiu4 mei2 you3 yue4 er3 de ge1 chang4; bu3 yuan4 tu2 zhong1 wu3 bo1 lang4 wu3 tiao2 zhan4, yu4 jing1 cuo4 zhe2, shen1 ming4 yu4 can4 lan4..
(i wish, too, that I could blog in Chinese characters.. basically translates to:
without boulders and waterfalls in the path of the stream, you wouldn't hear its melodious babble;
i don't want to live on a bed of roses, for with every challenge i face down, life becomes more exciting.)

So, snapshots of my year:
~ Learning to be very strong. Very strong indeed. Thank you, Ivory and Keqing for standing with me and being my friends in my darkest days. Simply being there and listening to me was good enough. Thank you too to all those who counselled me and helped me get back on my feet.. Beatrice, Wenhui, Brother Alex, Sister Adeline, Evelyn, Pst CK and Ryan. It has not been an easy journey, but I am glad to say I've learnt and moved on with all your help and guidance.
~ Coming into W110/E206/W285 and getting to know my dearly beloved CG members better. Thank all of you so much for having me and making me feel at home. I am so blessed simply to know you guys, every single one of you has impacted me in some way, and I treasure all our times together. I'm really proud of my CG! We ROCK!
~ My darling Tiffany's wedding in March. And being a bridesmaid for the first time, but not the last. =) I love you baby! And yes, the MGS-RGS-St Marg's uniform pictures are still vivid in my mind.. How strange it is to grow up so soon. And I'm waiting eagerly for HER baby to come in May 2005. Hey hey! I'm going to be a godma soon!
~ the impact driven home that I am where I am because I am meant to make a difference there. And that this applies to school too; my career as a teacher is not simply a put-bread-on-the-table job, but a chance to impact people. To make a difference in their lives and to let my students know that I want so much more for them than to simply produce 4 'A's in their examinations. That it is in the lives of the people who have the greatest need that I can make the greatest difference. Thank you, 03S70, S77, S78 and S7B - I hope I have made a difference to you, especially my dearly beloved 70. You will always have a special place in my heart because you're my first CT class.
~ Trip to Mongolia. What can I say? Read my past blogs for the glorious experiences!
~ Epiphany about finances. Seeing my financial condition in a whole new light; Pastor has always said that you are the slave of the man you owe money to; well, I'm currently the slave of HDB, Nissan and MOE. Oh dear. It means I cannot be free to do many things the Holy Spirit might call me to; I cannot up and leave for, say, a stint at missions. A turning point came when Pst preached about missions work; as I stood in West One, all alone, he spoke about finances holding us back from being available to answer God's call. The message was so powerful - I challenged myself: to have enough finances to pay off the loan on my house and car by the time I finish my MOE bond, which is mid 2006. Sounds daunting, huh? Well, ALL THINGS are POSSIBLE to HIM WHO BELIEVES. I'm going to trust God and believe for my breakthrough. NOW! Amen!

And in true, time-honoured fashion, going with the season of the year, it's time for my New Year's resolutions to appear. Though I haven't quite set out my action plan, time frame and all the specifics yet, I do know what I hope to acheive in this year:

Ministry wise - To endeavour to train up more leaders; it's so true that a leader cannot only train people to follow him, but a leader must train people to replace him. It is imperative to do so, because otherwise one can never move on. As an usher, I need to improve myself too - and everything stems from attitude. I repeat my mantra for 2005: Let me continually strive for a better attitude.

Spiritually wise - to walk ever closer with God, and lean on Him for strength day by day. Still refining this part - it's so hard to put into tangibles!

At work - to be a better teacher, to cater to all students in my various classes in various ways, and above all to believe in them and love them no matter what and make sure they know that. Frankly, as I've said again and again, most students in my school (Hwa Chong JUNIOR COLLEGE, I refuse "institution") will make it through the A levels whether or not I am a good content-deliverer; that is simply their calibre. I believe that my true calling in this place is to be a help and a guide to those students who have gotten lost or confused somewhere along the way, because it is in their lives that I can truly make a difference. Oh man, so hair-tearing isn't it! Yes, but what to do? UCCs follow me wherever I go! Ha!

For my character - to be a stronger, more determined person; more focused, and less easily waylaid by stray thoughts and ugly feelings. To be always meek, always gentle of spirit, and always humble. To let love be my greatest aim in all my relationships with people, and to never allow pride, but to always esteem others better than myself. To learn to be at peace always.
".. For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:11-13

Physically - the easiest to measure - to go gymming! Work myself into a toned state, and lose another *hopes* 5-8kg. Yay.

Tata, for I have class now. The beginning of my plans can be put into action..

Saturday, January 01, 2005

AND THE TRUE MEANING OF MY NAME IS..

inspired by raine, I have decided to search the meaning of my name too. Searching 'Ming' at Name St USA gave me the following results:

motivation: motivated by their achievements
character: easily approachable
feelings: keeps their feelings to themselves
intelligence: inventive mind
spiritual: uncomplicated spiritual beliefs
nature: always willing to help others
inherent: enthusiastic in all you do

what's most surprising though, is the the derivation 'Mingo' in Latin means 'a follower of God.'

Wow.

Truly, as the Bible says - we are called by name to our destiny. Amen.