Aussieland, here I come!!

And so I've made my decision. I'll be going to Perth in July for a short short holiday!! I will be flying off on 23 July (wednesday) at 9.05am and will be back in Singapore on 27 July (sunday) at 8.55pm. I'm so so so so looking forward to it!!! It's quite a huge surprise for me because I didn't even plan it in advance. Now, I have less than a month to plan where to within the short 5 days. It's going to be winter there so I guess there will be lots of sightseeing instead! I hope I'll be able to take more pictures this time round!! Andre is nice enough to allow me to stay at his place so I'm not complaining anything. This short holiday is self funded!! So I'm quite proud of myself (haaa... my hard earned money, sweat and blood involved) and at the same time, I feel the pinch because it took me quite long to save to that amount in my bank! If I did not buy my laptop and go for this holiday (and the previous perth trip as well), I could have reached my all time high record! But I guess what's more important is our physical well being than money. I can always earn back the amount of money spent (it will take a super long time unless I get myself a well-paid job). Wahaha... Oh well.. Praise God for taking away all my inhibitions and allowing me to have a clear mind to make this decision! =)

Should I or should I not?

I was out with Andre today since he has flown back to our sunny island for the holidays. I was telling him how much I would want to go back to Perth again for a short holiday and he actually asked me to fly back with him in July. After checking the Qantas website, I realised that no seats are available on the day he is flying back! But I can always fly over on another day if I wanted to. I am so tempted by the offer! Was hoping all this while that I could just go somewhere for a short holiday before going back to school to face studying all over again. However, there is this problem of money because air tickets are not cheap these days. Even though I get an offer price for flying off next month, the overall price of the return tickets (after adding tax) is a whopping $800 plus, more than what I paid for last year where the price before tax i much more than that now. Oh well, I guess I'll have to discuss with my parents before I make the decision. But I so want to go!!! It's winter there now!! I miss the relax and laid back life over there at Aussieland! well well well...

Anyway, I've watched the movie "Get Smart" today. Not too bad a show. It's definitely very very funny! But I don't think it's worth watching the second time. Wahaha... Andre also showed me a video taken 2 years back which brings back so much fond memories of my NS times. Wahaha... It' super embarassing though. I act like a crazy deranged clown in it but it is still very very funny! Missed those times... wahaha...

Of AO pang be bobby ao ao and dada

Finally, after one million years (1 year 4 months 21 days to be exact), I got to see AO pang be bobby ao ao aka bob the builder aka spongeybob rotten pants aka bobby aka bo'en (real name) today. Wahaha... It's great to have finally met him after so so long. The last time I saw him was the day he ORD-ed and that is like a long long long time ago lar. Tsk... And of course, got to see dada again! The last time i saw him was last december which is quite long ago as well! So yippee! Get to crap with pang be in person! The friendly exchange of insults is so thrilling! Never fails to crack me up! haha... The photo below shows Pang Be's electric personality (or him chanelling storm... both works fine)...

And this other photo shows the dark side of dada... wahaha... He looks dangerous...

So funny! Enjoyed myself today. Could have been able to come up with more witty comments to spar with bobby but I was too tired (slept at 5am in the morning because I couldn't sleep.. dunno why also.. hurr) to do so. Haha... But it was funny nevertheless =) Praise God for the day =)

Life's uncertainty...

Looking back at the things I've done and am doing, I kind of wonder where I'm actually going. I guess I've reached this stage where everything seems to be in auto mode, i.e. each day has become a routine and everything just seems to fall into place nicely. Hmmm... I just feel a little weird suddenly. Half a year has just gone by unknowingly. It feels as though I've just attended watchnight service yesterday. It's quite unbelieveable that I just completed Special Semester Part 1 and I'm having my holidays now. I just feel as if I've never even stepped into NUS before and all the things that I've done and learnt just appear right in front of me. Being in the music room at Montfort seems weird too. There's this familiar feeling in the room but everything looks so different. It feels very deja vu-ish but the fact is, I was a student at montfort and was prancing around the room as president 5 years back. 5 years seems like a long way back but to me, it feels as if it's just yesterday. This brings me to the question of whether I've grown up at all...

Looking back at all the things I've been through, I can say I've grown to a certain extent. God has guided me through a long long way and I'm really thankful to have come to know Him, our God who lives and reigns forever. Seriously, I don't know where I get the strength to persevere through my A levels, the mental energy to actually withstand the harsh environment (though I was a clerk, the stress is still there due to the nature of my work) and the key to start my engine for special sem... All these are God's work and I give Him thanks and praise for helping me through each phase of my life. I don't know how my life will be like without His guidance... I think I might be in Mental Hospital by now knowing how I can get. God is so great! Without His healing touch, my A levels would have been a repeat of my O levels. Without His presence, I would have given up University education altogether, knowing how tough things can get. Without His forgiveness, kindness and care, I wouldn't have been who I am today. I'm thankful and blessed. Very very blessed. =)

Therefore, who cares what happens tomorrow right? Life is like a mist, you'll never know when you will leave this world. All my treasures are up there in heaven so why should I focus on all things temporal? Jesus said, "Who of you can add a single hour to your lives by worrying?" (I think I've quoted that before... hee) S0 why worry about tomorrow when you can spend all that time treasuring the things that are happening today? Jesus also said, "Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough worries of its own." Matthew 6:34 Which brings us back to the question, why worry? I shall see to it that all worries will be dissolved from my little mind and just have faith in Him. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! Phillipians 4:13 No matter how difficult a situation is, He will provide a way! That I shall remind myself always. Praise God for His words and promises.

Teaching... Hmmm...

The size of my tuition class has increased from 3 to 10 students. I was telling Daren the other day that I would very much prefer to teach a larger class but regretted saying that last week. The more students I have, the noisier the class becomes which means the more shouting I have to do. But luckily for me, I managed to capture their attention yesterday (Praise God for that!) with new techniques employed... Wahaha... I've moved on to using powerpoint instead of journal to present to the class and I did live demonstrations for them to see the wonders of Science... wahaha... But they were surprisingly better (note: better, not well...) behaved than usual and I am super happy with them.

Over the weekend, I toiled over the stove, boiling red cabbage in water so that I can extract the pigment in the leaves to get a pH indicator. The colour change happened at home but it didn't work for bakin soda yesterday night. I guess the baking soda did not dissolve completely to produce the hydroxide ions to cause the colour change. But still, it's kind of puzzling... wahaha... Oh well... It's over... I'll have to start squeezing my brains and think of how the physics part of sec 1 science can be made interesting... wahaha

By the way, Congrats to NUS Choir for obtaining 100/100 for the 2 categories they took part in for the Grand Prix St Petersburg 2008!! They rock eh!! woohoo!! =)

End of GEK1521

I had my last lecture for this module and I'll be having my final test tomorrow. Somehow, I'm feeling really confident for this test. I think i understand everything that I've learnt so far and there's this peace that I'm feeling. Praise the Lord for His blessings! However, I'm quite worried about this confidence that I have now because I'm quite scared that I missed out certain stuff. But I've done my best by recapping every topic for tomorrow so I shall just not worry and let God do His thing. I must thank Sophie for her prayers and again, Song Choon, for his encouragement too. Thanks for the reminders ya? =) It's nice knowing that people do care for you and I'm really very very appreciative of all the care and kindness showered upon me. Praise God! The presence of God has been so real each day. It's as if I can literally see Him beside me during lectures, on the way to school, coming back from school. It really gives me the peace that I need. Thank God!! =)

Anyway, let me feature 2 videos. One by the triumphant MJChoir performing my favourite song, Luk luk lumbu, and the other by VS Choir, singing noyosa. It's really cool!!





Videos of MJChoir and VS Choir performance and olomouc can be found in the following youtube links:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mjc+choir+olomouc&search_type=&aq=f
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=victoria+school+choir+olomouc&search_type=&aq=f

Woohoo!! =))

Of school and stress...

I am so so so so tired. Apparently, I was not able to sleep for the past few nights. Last night was the worst as I slept at 4 plus am and woke up at 8am to go to church. Surprisingly, I managed to survive through service though I was super sleepy through service. I still feel very guilty about that part. But Praise God for hearing my prayer for things could have been worst.

The past week has been quite stressful for me. It made me feel as if I have taken a greek module instead of a physics one. I just don't understand a single thing the lecturer was talking about because it was super quantum physics and it is all so so cheem. And I heard that I'll be learning that in modern chemistry too. May God bless me through that module eh. But once again, Praise God for I managed to understand the concepts today through reading the textbook and forcing my poor brain to think. Suddenly I felt so stupid. But I know I have to pull through this because things will not be easy from now on.

Also, I've been busy with my term paper because the deadline is coming soon. Had quite a few group project meetings through the week and I am very happy that we have been quite productive. Everything is done and now we are cleaning up the essay and standardising everything. I really hope that we can do well for this paper because it looks impressive... haha... And we sweat blood, vomit blood, excrete blood for this paper... So hopefully we get a decent grade. I won't ask for the best grade but I pray that we get what we deserve. This is the first time i have to reduce the number of pages to the essay so that we don't exceed the limit. It's super difficult and I think all of us can be english teachers after this module. We shortened sentences and combined sentences in the best way english allows us too... Really... Can puke blood i tell you...

And lastly, Ive been pondering about whether I should drop my geography module. And it has contributed to my sleepless nights. Today, I've finally made the decision to drop it and take a break in July. Many thanks to Joanne who has been listening to my complains, whining and po ma-ing about this matter and song choon for providing the best logical answer to the question in mind (i.e. cannot take it, drop it). haaa... I really wanted to take the module because it sounds interesting. But after one GEM module, it sort of exhausted me. I don't know how I'm going to handle 5 modules when school officially starts. I pray that God will bless me with the strength to persevere and pull through this. Jesus said," Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" This is so so true. So I'm lifting up my worries to God and I pray that whatever His will is for me, let it be so. I must grow in Him and be strong for He is always by my side regardless of circumstances. Praise God!

Oh well... I guess it's time for me to go to bed. My last and final test will be on this coming Thursday. I really hope i can do well for this module!!!! Whatever God's will is, let it be so! =))

MJCHOIR ROCKS MY SOCKS!!

WOOHOO!! MJCHOIR is the superior category champions for the olomouc competition!!!! A whooping 99/100 for superior category and 94/100 for the other one... THEY ROCK!!! I'm so proud of them!!!! MY JUNIORS ROCKS!!! Haa... I've been very excited and happy for them since the time I knew the results... Now it's the grand finals! They should have gone on stage by now... Praying hard that they will bag the overall champions!! Praise God!!!! HALLELUJAH!! =)

All the best MJChoir!

This is the day eh! Today will be the competition day for MJChoir at Olomouc! Praying and hoping that their efforts and long training will pay off today! They will be on stage at 3.40pm and 5.20pm SGT for their 2 categories! May they be filled with confidence, do their best, do themselves, school and friends proud, and most importantly, enjoy the experience!! =))

God's Promises

Thanks Sophie and Jonathan for reminding me that God will always be there fore me. And thank you to the rest who encouraged me! God indeed works in mighty ways and I am actually quite surprised that even Jon, who is not a christian by the way, reminded me about how great God is.

Jon actually told me this,

God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He loves in way we cannot see
he will make the way for u
he will be your guide
hold u closely to his side

How great God works indeed! Hallelujah!

Anyway, I've finally finished my component for my essay. But I think I've typed too much. Hopefully I'm able to cut down!!! haha... Shall see how things go eh... =)

And the results...

I just got back my term test 1 results today. I am actually quite sad for doing not so well for my first paper. And the worst thing is, 44% of the cohort got marks 40 and above which means the bell curve will shift, leading to me getting a low pass. And after doing some simultaneous equations, i find myself really stupid for attempting questions which I am not sure of. If there is no minusing of marks, I could have gotten a 40 out of 55. But because of my itchy fingers, I went to attempt and got 14 questions wrong, leading to a final score of 36.5. Haha... But I guess this is God's way of teaching me a lesson, on decision making and of course, to make me pay the price for being so complacent. So it' my fault ultimately... seriously and I praise God for teaching me poking me in the right places so that I can wake up my idea. If not I would have continued to be lazy and get my priorities wrong all over again. Praise God for this wonderful lesson! For without this lousy results, I would not have been so motivated to want to start studying for my second test and give my very best for my term paper. I really want to get an A+ for this module! So I guess it's time for me to work hard! And I pray that God will guide me through this process because I am certainly quite tempted to be lazy most of the time.

Speaking of my term paper, I've been facing the difficulty of finding diagrams for my paper. So i end up making my own using powerpoint and paint. I am actually quite amazed that I can produce such diagrams with powerpoint... haa... here's a diagram of the experimental setup for microcap dialysis used in protein crystallisation...

Isn't it cool? Haaa... Alright... time to do my best for my term paper... Woot!

Term Test 1

Finally, after a million years hiatus from studying, I got to take my first test in uni. I really have to praise God for guiding me through because without Him, I know I wouldn't have been able to go that far through the test. When the test started, i actually panicked after looking through the first few questions. I seriously could not think properly and my mind was raising and not concentrating on the paper. But constant prayer calmed me down. I managed to sit through the paper, and even relook at those difficult physics questions which I thought was impossible to solve. It was really miraculous that I could actually make sense of the question and find a logical (to me at least...) explanation for each answer. Praise God for his guidance for I would have been in a nervous wreck througout the paper without His guidance. Hallelujah. I am also very blessed to have such a nice lecturer who extended the test by half an hour even before the paper started. How cool is that... All I can do now is to pray that I've done well for the test for I've already did my best. =)

Also, I'll be taking Geography for the second part of special term! How interesting... It has been 7 years since I last touched geog and I don't know how I'm going to die. But no worries as of yet. I have to clear my last 2 hurdles before having to worry about it. Hopefully my term paper turns out well and I pray that my final term test would be easier. The interesting stuff are coming in, like teeth and bones... Oooh...

Lastly, my juniors from MJChoir will be flying off to Czech Republic in 8 minutes time! I really pray that they will do well for the competition. I know they can do it because this batch of people are really good!! I pray that they will enjoy themselves, have confidence in themselves and do themselves proud because they have been practicing really hard for this competition. All the best to them and may God bless them! =)