Roaring Chinese New Year Everyone!

There may be a little irony when I wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year on the last day of the event. However, I choose this day as I would like to tell you about my feelings and reflections that I have for this festive season. One can only say reflections at the end of an activity right? And thus I will say mine on the 15th day of Chinese New Year. 

Well this year, my lunar new year holidays has been one that has more work and less play . I think most of you out there must have felt the same and probably posted this on your blog , or shared it with friends. I have to do more work, as there are tests after the holidays and quite a heavy load of homework. *( homework > days of holidays )whereby the amount of homework is directly proportionate to the duration of holiday*. This is the formula in which every teacher adopts I guess?

Apart from studying, here are some other things that I did:

1) Rest Hard. I am sure all of you out there are dying for sleep. We students are very tired having to wake up early in the day to 'squeeze' up public transport. And, on particular days we have activities in school until evening. At home, we have to revise for tests, complete homeworks and projects. If the workload is a lot, we sleep very late at night, or extremely early in the morning. This cycle goes on and on. So when the holidays come, the first thing in my head is SLEEP!!

2) Eat Hard. Pineapple tarts, love letters, roasted meat, steamboat, 'yu sheng' and all the goodies only make my mouth water. How can one get past Chinese New Year without eating all these goodies? It is once a year that one gets to eat all these goodies! So what are we waiting for? Eat!

3) Visit relatives. It is the time of the year that family members go to each others' house and have reunion dinner. This is a time to meet up and strengthen the bonds with one another and to update each other on what is happening in their lives. Some may have a whale of a time but some will have to be interrogated. Recent news have highlighted that old folks love to ask  personal questions about their children's marital satus and more. And these people get very frustrated that they go overseas to escape these irritating question. Please spare them a thought??

4) Count hard! This is the favourite time of the year for many because of the red packets that they will receive. However, the more we want, the less we will get because we may have set our expectations too high! So don't be greedy!!

In conclusion, my lunar new year holidays was one that was filled with laughter, joy, work and food!!!! I have enjoyed myself very much.

Still I Rise

To Kill A Mocking Bird is written revolving round the theme of Prejudice, mainly the prejudice between the African Americans and the Whites. I found this poem extremely effective in bringing out the feelings of the African Americans, and thier determination.

Here is the poem:

                     Still I Rise by Maya Angelou                                          

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops.

Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don't you take it awful hard

'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines

Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame

I rise

Up from a past that's rooted in pain

I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

 I rise.

 

I just attended the 43rd Memorial Service in Commemoration of the Civilian Victims of the Japanese Occupations on 15 of February held at the War Memorial Park. As its name suggests, this event is one that commemorates the victims of the Japanese Occupation. A simple, yet solemn affair.

Many students and students from various uniform groups attended this event, together with the family members of the victims. When the event was taking place, I could see a picture of those suffering in my mind. There were images of people crying alone or as a group over their deceased family members, and images of people being tortured until the last breath running thru my mind. The pain and agony that one feels is horrible. The lost of family members is forever. And it will truly leave a bad memory in one’s mind.

We may not be able feel how this shadow is, but those whose family members fell at the hands of the Japanese know. This is what the teacher-in-charge(Mr Edmund Teo) saw and felt, which I find very meaningful:

“I would like to share something I saw just prior to the arrival of the Guest-of-Honour, RADM(NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Acting Minister for Information, Culture and the Arts:

Amidst all the busyness and anticipation of the commencement of the ceremony, amidst the soft chatter between all the participants in their suits, uniforms and formal business attire, an elderly women holding a bouquet of yellow and white flowers, dressed in a white blouse with pink floral motifs and black rayon pants, made her way slowly in an unassuming manner through the central tent towards the Civilian War Memorial Monument. With the assistance of a walking stick and a middle-aged lady who might be her daughter, she passed first through the NCC cadets, then the foreign dignitaries, and finally past the official photographer, to reach the steps of the monument. Unnoticed by the crowd, the two ladies climbed the steps and laid the bouquet at the centre of the Monument. But just before stepping away, the elderly lady paused, touched the monument gently with the fingers of her right hand, and seemed to whisper soft words to the plaque at the centre of the Monument. The whole scene must have lasted no more than three minutes and soon both ladies were making their way down the steps of monument to take their seats at a side tent amidst the crowd of very young students in uniform.

This scene is my takeaway for the Memorial Service. It helped me to understand that war is not about victories, those vanquished, or the numbers lost. It is about the intimate loss and grief of those who have survived the war, and what they must still feel even after so many decades. Every war has personal stories of loss, and this morning I was given a glimpse into one individual story of loss.”

Although this event may be a short one, but it truly reminds us of the tragedy that Singapore went through quite a long time ago.

Although this event is a short one, it truly shows the long feeling of lost that one feels.

speak up even though your voice shakes

I came across this quote on the Internet and I felt that it is quite meaningful. Speaking up is a skill that may seem easy, but it is not. Many people might have the fear inside them that makes them unwilng to speak. Perhaps they fear that they will make mistakes and get laughed at. Or that they will get embarrased. I have to admit that I am one of them. Well, most of you should know that I am quite quiet sometimes...
So, I must improve this bad point of my and speak up more often. Those of you who are like me, let's improve!!

Also, speaking up is part of leadership. As a leader, one must be able to communicate freely and easily. It is important as only by speaking up, others would listen to you. Your views will only be viewed only if you speak. Your feelings would only be felt if you speak. So let's inflict a positive change in oursleves. Speak Up!!!