chingay parade rehearsals
Thursday, January 29, 2009
On the 22nd of January 2009, I signed up and attended the chingay parade rehearsal. We left from school at around 3.45 and reached there soon after. Our mode of transport was a huge coach. Being victorians, we were one of the few schools that arrived early. After registering, we waited patiently for the rest of the schools attending the chingay parade to arrive one by one. For me, it was the first time I was taking part in a parade. I was excited and simply could not wait for the parade to start because I wanted to see what it was going to be like. As minutes passed by, more schools started arriving. All the attending students each received a small blue bag and a singapore pools file with the seating plans and etc. I learnt that the actual parade rehearsal would not be held as we were not part of the parade. Our job was to distribute gifts/presents to spectators and cheer and sing when our float passed by.
(This is a picture of our float, float number 3)
The lyrics of the song that we sang were very nice. There was only a few actions that we were required to do. An example was that we had to jump at the starting of the chorus and shake our hands above our heads. Although it was childish, it helped me reminisce about the past, when I used to be an energetic and fun person. To get us into the joyful, dynamic mood and make it easier for us to remember the actions, a group of cute, adorable primary school scouts went up to the stage to demonstrate. I thought that it was very helpful of them. The organisers were kind hearted people. Delicious food was catered for dinner as the rehearsal ended only after around 8pm. On the whole, I enjoyed myself a lot and have learnt a few things that school alone cannot teach.
--Mary HAD a little lamb--
5:27 AM
Barack Obama elected as new president of the usa
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Some of you might think it is a little too late to be blogging about this, but I feel it is never too late.
How will a 21st-century president fare in a 19th-century world?
BLISS it is in this dawn to be alive. That will be the reaction of many people around the world to America’s election of a thrilling new president—young, black, with political and intellectual gifts well above the ordinary. But the world that will face Barack Obama when he moves into the White House in January is not very heaven. It is, in fact, a mess. -http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12551938
From what I have gathered from this text and my general knowledge by reading newspapers, Barack Obama is a very well-liked person throughout the world. A lot of people turned up to experience first hand his inaugaration speech and swearing in. Everybody likes young people in the workforce. Everybody likes a change. A change that will make everyone happier. A change that will keep everyone smiling. This will not be an easy task for the new president. In fact it is going to be very challenging for him, but I am sure he will prove his worth and not let his people down. I like Mr.Obama because of his lively personality and the way he delivers the fantastic speeches he has delivered. The world is in a precarious position right now. On one hand, the economic crisis(financial meltdown) and on the other hand, terrorism, wars and global warming. The economy is in a slump, a recession. There are few quotes from his speech on Jan 20 the day he became the new president of the USA that I liked and felt is applicable to many of us.
"The world has changed, we must change with it." - This tells us that we have to adapt to the conditions and not be left behind.
"We are the keepers of this legacy." - This can be applied to us Victorians. Keeping the legacy of VS going is an important thing that we should all aspire to do.
"All this we can do. And all this we will do." - I feel that this demonstrates Mr. Obama's confidence and his willingness to make the future brighter for all of us.
"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America."
"Greatness is never a given. It must be earned." - This is a quote I really really loved.
"America today i say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They WILL be met." - Again this shows his confidence.
"Homes have been lost, jobs shed; businesses shattered." - The dreadful REALITY.
Barack Obama is a man I look up to. He has inspired me to work hard and persevere. I think that he is the right man to lead the world in such times of adversity. His being elected as the new president will surely herald the coming of a new age.
--Mary HAD a little lamb--
7:17 AM
An unusual thing that happened today
What I experienced today, I have never experienced it before.
My mother was driving me and my brother back from our math tuition in Woodlands. Driving in the fast lane, lane 1, we were cruising at speeds of up to 115km/h. Every few minutes, a car from the back would overtake us. Being surprised, I asked my mom if she was driving too slowly. She replied that the speed limit on the road was only 90km/h and that she was driving at a much faster speed. A few of the drivers that overtook us glared at my mother for a few seconds before overtaking. One car even honked from the back.
Most of the times it turns out that those car drivers who honk frequently do not drive sport cars or drive cars that are not capable of driving at high speeds all the time. I felt that he was misusing the purpose of the honking sound. It is actually meant to make other drivers or pedesterians aware of certain dangers. It should not be a tool used to vent frustration. I failed to see why the other drivers were in such a hurry. Could it have been because of last minute chinese new year visiting or did the driver need to answer nature's call? I really did not know. As we drove on, my strong-willed mother refused to barge and give way to the other drivers. She felt that they were not following the speed limit. I totally agreed with her.
One rude driver even pointed the middle finger at us! I was shocked that this sort of a thing would happen in Singapore. I feel that the LTA, Land Transport Authorities,
should review their rules and regulations on Road Conduct. This, I feel was the unusual thing that occured today.
--Mary HAD a little lamb--
6:48 AM
chinese new year holiday to malaysia
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Hi to all readers!
Just an hour ago, I returned home after spending our Chinese New Year holiday in Afamosa Resort, Malacca. I went there with my family and accompanying us were two of my friend's families.We set off on the 25th, a typical sunny Sunday morning. The weather was incredible, superb for an exciting outing. Highly anticipating a fun holiday, time spent with my family away from our stressful daily lives. We left for the Tuas checkpoint at around 10 am. Surprisingly, the usual Sunday morning expected queues were nowhere to be seen. Instead we managed to clear both Singapore and Malaysia immigration in less than 15 minutes. A first considering our numerous vacations into Malaysia via land. Coincidentally, all three cars were in line with each other even before the checking of passports.
After crossing the checkpoint, we stopped for breakfast at a cafe. My friends and I went to the playground and played on the swings. After breakfast, we hit the roads again. One of my friends shifted to our car for the rest of the journey. During the ride, we blasted music, had lots of snacks and played cards. We also watched Tintin on the DVD. Overall, I was amazed by the breathtaking scenery of the plantations in Malaysia. The ride was comfortable and I, being a lazy cow, slept half the way.
It was not before 12.30 pm that we reached Malacca.Afamosa resort was nothing like what I thought it would be. Still, it did not dampen my spirits. We went Go-karting at first. All of us expected it to be hard to drive, considering you had to be at least 16 years old to drive it. They still allowed us! I found it challenging yet really enjoyable. I did an awesome drift which everyone present admired :) . We had a drift challenge which I won. However, I also crashed into my friend's car while trying to overtake him because he was driving so slowlyyyy. That is because I hate slow drivers! I’m just kidding. One of his wheels was stuck in my Go-kart. I had to get off my vehicle and pull it back. As a result, I suffered a minor cut on my arm-.- The authorities at the resort should check on the conditions of the go-karts. They are in a terrible state. After Go-karting, I decided to try my hands at archery. Despite many attempts, I didn't manage to hit a single arrow on the circular board. Unpredictable, there was a Malaysian military vehicle outside. My little friend Z started to act like a soldier, marching and amusing us. There was a stable where we could ride horses. I didn't have the guts to ride the horse, but one of my friends was daring enough to touch a horse : O. We left the activity area laughing because my clumsy brother had stepped onto horse poo. Later that evening played soccer and skateboarded near a pond. It was funny to see my friend chasing frantically for the soccer ball whenever it went near the pond. Soon, little droplets of rain started falling on our heads, so we had to play under another block.
The best part of the day was yet come. That night, we headed off to Cowboy Town, where there were rides and other fun ways to kill time. We watched a carnival, played some games, and heard one crazy man sing. The carnival was filled with fire-breathing, a parade of animals, wushu performers, clowns and other acts. Everyone were hyped up and jumping about. There were tigers, camels, and many more animals. I found the elephant dance and the monkeys the most exciting. The funniest bit was the chicken race. Some of the chickens were really confused and oblivious of what they were doing. Dinner was at a steak house. The food was mouth-watering! I had a Sirloin steak. It took forever to get served. While waiting, we played the hammer strength test thing. You are given 3 tries to smack the metal thing and they will show how hard you hit. I only managed a 44( my max) haha. My friend's max was 100! Altogether we each got to hit thrice. My total was 127 only while my friend who hit 100 got a total of 296! He blew us all away with it. As a result he got 8 tokens which he later used to redeem a soft toy! :D . We also played bumper cars. It was fun, bullying a thin boy who later almost cried. It was so hilarious! After returning to our place at midnight, the parents decided to call it a day. My friends and I were not sleepy so we watched a little bit of Titanic (the starting) and Night at the Museum before falling asleep on the couch. It was a tiring and enjoyable first day.
Sunday,25/01/09
Day TWO
Breakfast the next day was a buffet. After a hearty meal, we felt bored so we took some jump shots. We laughed at the photos at the funny poses. Next, we went to WaterWorld. Running into Waterworld, we took off our shirts and splashed into the water. The place was full of slides and rides. There was one 5-6 storey slide which I went for. I could feel butterflies in my stomach as I was rweally nervous. My heart was pumping almost out of my body. It was really scary but I managed. One of my friends was frightened to an extent that he did not dare to go up even one storey. The feeling when sliding down the huge slide was something that I never felt before. The adrenaline rush took control over me. After that we went to a family raft slide. We had to get onto a raft and hold on tight onto the handles. Four of us got onto the raft together. Even before the ride, we were terrifying another friend of the dangers. One of my friends was so scared and worried he was going, "AAAAhhhAAAH mommy!" jokingly. We wrestled one another, splashed water at each other before it was time to leave. In the evening my dad took us downstairs at an empty road to drive his car. I am PRO! ;D I sped up to 65km/h.
After driving we went back to watch Die Hard 4.0. I loved every bit of the movie. It had to be one of the best shows that I’ve ever watched. However, I personally felt that it should have been made more realistic. Later that night we walked to a restaurant for dinner. It was cool outside. The breeze was amazing. On the way, we skateboarded and even saw a rainbow form on the water that was being used to water the golf course. This reminded me of physics lessons at school. After dinner we just went back to the condo and slept. We were leaving the next morning.
Monday,26/01/09
Day THREE
Posing on a military vehicle
Archery
At WaterWorld
Driving
Our condo
Z enjoying chicken :)
Jumpshot, we all jumped except 4year old Z.
Signing off, Shabab :)
--Mary HAD a little lamb--
3:36 AM
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Today was a really fun and enjoyable day. Since it was the weekends, i slept till 9.15am. Pretty late considering I wake up at 6am on school days. I washed up and then read the newspapers. One article that intrigued me was the one on the miracle landing of a commercial
aeroplane that 'landed' safely on the Hudson River. I was like Oh My God! It's not everyday you see a plane land or even crash in the oceans/seas/rivers. Furthermore, all the passengers survived! Thank god. I think they all owe their lives to the pilot for his skill in handling the emergency landing. I have nothing but praise and admiration for him. After reading the newspapers, I ate my breakfast with my family. Then, I raced down to the basement and skateboarded on my elder brother's skateboard for 10mins. I think I got a little better. Last time i couldn't even balance myself. Now I have the self-confidence that I will not fall down easily. I went up to my room and read 3 pages of our literature book, Macbeth. Pathetic, yes. But I just don't find it all that interesting.
Moving on, later i played crossword
puzzles on the guardian website with my dad. It was exciting and I learnt some new words too! :]
(I am the guy on top, the one holding his head, haha)
Later, at around 5 o' clock I had to attend a farewell party for my really good friend Rak who is migrating to the States. I was invited to his condo for a pool party along with 8 others. I didn't know what I could get for him as a mark of our friendship. In the end though I bought him Ferrero Rocher and Toblerone chocolates =D .
Once there, we unpacked and changed into our swimwear and jumped into the pool. The water was cool and refreshing. Being young teens, we made a lot of noise, up to the extent that a senior security guard had to be called to check on us :O . We played catching, ice and freeze in the pool. It was as if we hogged the lap pool, because everyone moved to the other pool when we started playing. The pool is really very nice. The pool area is very big and they have different types of massages. Whole body message, neck massage and ofcourse the usual jacuzzi pump. There is also a mini waterfall! One thing I liked about his condo was the club house restroom. It was maintained like a posh restaurant toilet. (Somewhere near there) and it was air-conditioned :D . After swimming, we went to his home where his father ordered pizzas for us to eat. My friend and his parents were very gracious hosts. They ordered 6
LARGE pizzas. I myself had 5 slices. Hohohohoo ;D. Afte
r that we cut a cake and just talked and slacked. I was the victim of cake-face. It is when you get cake smacked onto your face. I licked off some from my chin area. Haha. I returned home at around 8.30pm. Now it is 12.31 at night. I really enjoyed myself today. This kind of activities are what make life fun. Monday already. School starts at 9.30am today! :DD This is my first post that I am posting as part of the english assignment. (Grr-haha but I don't seem angry >>)
Sitting and talking.
My friends =D.
--Mary HAD a little lamb--
6:50 AM
Saturday, January 17, 2009
I shall tell you about 13 things that you might not have known about me :-
1. I loved to play Chu-chu train with my brother and cousins.
(I am the shortest one.)
2. I lived in a ship for a total of about 2years.
(I am the one on the right.)
3. I loved to play with soft toys. (sucking them)
4. My grandma could carry me, my brother and my cousin. Now, I myself can kill her if i sit on her.
(I am the yellow guy.)
5. I have a huge family :D.
6. Relatives will gather at our birthdays.
(I am the one with the pink shirt.)
7. I was very close to my grandpa.
8. My brother tries to carry me whenever he sees me :P .
(I am the one being carried ofcourse)
9. I rode on a horse with my bro in SriLanka.
(we went there by ship too, I am the one at the back.)
10. I was very close to my cousins.
(I am the one on the left.)
11. I loved playing with Lego :).
12. My kindergarden teacher made me wear this hat on my birthday.
13. My birthday cake on my third birthday was a batman cream cake.
--Mary HAD a little lamb--
7:07 AM
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Hi all,
this is my new blog.
http://www.abc-for-me.blogspot.com/.
Do visit often and track my daily encounters
with blue apples and purple dinosaurs who have green tails
and a red face and a yellow body and white hair (if dinosaurs have hair)! ;D
This is my first post, so I am not going to bore you guys.
School has just recently started and i'm enjoying it.
I train 3 days a week, which is funfunfun! ;D
Time flies really fast, and now we're already in sec 2.
This is an important year, 2009-.-
Gotta work hard!¿
Next thursday is my national 8 a-side tournament.
Hope to do well. The 11 a-side is on february.
If we win, we might go to penang to play and stay in a resort maybe! ;]
Really glad the class of 2008 did well in the o' levels.
We get to enjoy one full day off for their achievement and hardwork. It has inspired me to try and do well too. School ended two periods earlier on tuesday and starts at 9.30 on Monday :)
Looking forward to the upcoming days. Having a farewell party for my good friend who is migrating to The States. Though really sad, I wish him a good life ahead.
An incident occured today in class during recess. Tyler did something to the fire extinguisher in class that caused it to spray. He was covered in the white foamy thing that turned into powder later i think. Teacher was irritated and angry.
It's getting late, i gotta do math homework. (10.50pm), aikz!
Need to rush! Night :)
--Mary HAD a little lamb--
9:18 PM
aeroplane that 'landed' safely on the Hudson River. I was like Oh My God! It's not everyday you see a plane land or even crash in the oceans/seas/rivers. Furthermore, all the passengers survived! Thank god. I think they all owe their lives to the pilot for his skill in handling the emergency landing. I have nothing but praise and admiration for him. After reading the newspapers, I ate my breakfast with my family. Then, I raced down to the basement and skateboarded on my elder brother's skateboard for 10mins. I think I got a little better. Last time i couldn't even balance myself. Now I have the self-confidence that I will not fall down easily. I went up to my room and read 3 pages of our literature book, Macbeth. Pathetic, yes. But I just don't find it all that interesting.
puzzles on the guardian website with my dad. It was exciting and I learnt some new words too! :]
r that we cut a cake and just talked and slacked. I was the victim of cake-face. It is when you get cake smacked onto your face. I licked off some from my chin area. Haha. I returned home at around 8.30pm. Now it is 12.31 at night. I really enjoyed myself today. This kind of activities are what make life fun. Monday already. School starts at 9.30am today! :DD This is my first post that I am posting as part of the english assignment. (Grr-haha but I don't seem angry >>)
