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Monday, August 30, 2004 @5:44 PM

Received back double Cs paper: Chinese and Chemistry paper. Chinese was well done, I scored 63/70. =) It was definitely a booster of the day. But sadly, this booster did not last long. My Chemistry marks just sucks man. I failed. A1 to F9, how great.

Well, I really have to thank Wee Kiat for cheering me up. He treated me to a packet of Milo. Really didn't expect that. He can really sense that I wasn't my usual happy self during our lunch gathering, because I am usually quite talkative and lively. He stopped eating and asked why the sad face using hand gestures. geez... thanks hor! yup, I felt much better after that. I really have to treat you to something one day. -winks- =) Laylay gave me a hug around my shoulders for the entire journey from our class to AVA 2 for E Lit lesson, while singing "We are the future". Maybe she didn't mean anything about that, but that certainly made me feel a little secure! thanks dear! =)

My dear laogong, Han, didn't come to school today. Fu Er and I predicted in class that it was because she couldn't drag herself out of the house after watching the closure of the Athens Olympics at 2.15 am in the wee hours of the morning. It turned out that my poor dearie almost fainted at the bus stop. She felt weak and everything around her gradually turned blur. She freaked out and thought that she was about to die. She has low blood pressure, you see, so such things always happen. *Take care ok? I missed you today during lessons. It's really quiet without you.

Well, US topped the Olympics list with 35 golds and the only country that had 100 medals and above. That's impressive. China was not bad, following close behind with 32 golds. Well, the volleyball team did very well. Although they lost the first 2 rounds, they didn't give up hope and continued the strong fight against Russia. Alas, their hard work and determination paid off and they won the gold medal after 20 years. 3 cheers for them! Tears were streaming down their faces once the match is over. Touching scene... they demonstrated the best display of teamwork and confidence. As a Chinese, I am definitely proud of them! =)

Athens Olympics comes to a closure after 16 days of vigourous competition of sportsmen from all over the world. There were good and bad moments. As for Susilo and Jiawei, although no medals were won, I am so proud to watch the both of you fight your way through top players around the world. Carry on the fighting spirit and we shall see you at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Jiayou! =)

Sunday, August 29, 2004 @1:51 PM

Mmm... ZPop was... tiring yet fun at the same time. Well, both Han and I were dead tired that we fell asleep immediately on the train once we reached a seat, which Han cleverly booked for us. The moment I woke up, I was already transported from City Hall to Chinese Garden without my knowing. Han was still sleeping. Feel our fatigue? yea, we were that tired from standing on the same stop from 6pm-11pm without much movement.

We weren't very happy with some inconsiderate people who jostled their way through the crowd. Han was like scolding them, and one even with "Wah lao!". There's this woman in front of us, who keeps trying to catch a glimpse of the stars on stage although it's quite impossible. Ok, once or twice is fine (I can understand), but throughout the entire concert with no consideration for me right behind her? No, I don't tolerate such behaviour. In addition, she keeps flipping her oil and sticky short hair behind every time she tiptoes. My god. Imagine that. I almost puked. o_O

President S.R Nathan was the guest-of-honour. He gave out tokens of appreciation to all the stars who came to perfrom at the concert, which is in conjuction with the President's Challenge. Sun Ho danced on stage with her bulging tummy. She's already 3 months pregnant. I am not very impressed by that. She should leave that to the dancers and protect her baby who is more important. Sun's fans were scolded by the people at the back because they blocked everyone's view by the placards that they were holding. Made everyone so pissed. Humph.

Something that I ought to mention. The climax of the concert reached whenever a Singaporean singer came out on stage to perform. Stars like JJ Wayne Lim, Huang Yi Da, Stella and Sun received tremendous cheerings and attention from the crowd. That made me very proud of them. These singers can be assured that they have the nation's support. What made me really touched was the affirmation of a Singaporean singer to us. The fans were so... enthusiastic!

Other singers that bought the entire crowd high were Z-Chen and F.I.R. Well, Z-Chen really got the attention of everyone, even our dear Han, who started waving her hat and light stick. That was the only time when she really participated. Poor girl. She was really tired after a day of dance. And yes, F.I.R! I think they were the superstars of the day! Everyone went mad when they came out! Whoa! Screams and cheers... Faye cried during the singing of Wo Men De Ai (Our love). She said that she's touched whenever she sings this song. I guess it reminded her of her past love? And it turned out that it was her birthday yesterday, so everyone sang birthday song to her while the teacher played on the keyboard. -touching scene- Faye was very humourous, and even made our already-half-dead Han smile. hahahx... they talked about being jealous of her having so many people to sing her birthday song, so Faye replied that she will bring Ian and the teacher back to Singapore during their birthday too. That made everyone burst into laughter. =)

hiaz... I think the only thing that I regret... is not being able to see and listen to ENERGY sing. yar, but at that time, both of us were not that enthusiastic anymore and dreaded it. So, we headed home.

Conclusion: Although I kind of like seeing singers sing live, I really can't take the crowd, the heat, the tiredness. Given my height, I wasn't able to see anyone on stage (only a few singers for a fleeting moment before someone TALL in front shifts his/her head and cover everything) except the big screen. Lame right, go all the way there to watch a screen. -__-''' So... I doubt I will attend such outdoor events anymore. Han wasn't really interested too. But I guess she was just too tired. I still have to thank her for holding on to my hand and guiding me through the crowd, afraid that I will be swallowed by the crowd given my size. She was also constanting searching for a best stop so that I will at least be able to see something. Thanks dearie! You rock! =)

Friday, August 27, 2004 @11:14 PM

I cried... what a damn day. [depressing]

Anyway, went shopping with my mum around 8 pm at JEC This Fashion to search for a denim outfit. She's attending a Teachers' Day dinner tomorrow, and the theme of the dinner is "Go denim!" hee. Interesting one... =) So, after abt an hour, we finally left the shop. My mum bought a denim dress which I picked! hee... I have fashion sense mar! =) She's quite pleased and happy with it. That's good! Hope she will enjoy her dinner tomorrow!

Yup, Han told me all about dance today. She said that she's supposed to wear some skimpy top that bares the back for the Teachers' Day dance. Most importantly, she said that it's NYR's idea. Well, I guess she just wanna impress SOMEONE lor. I think it's just a dance, and they don't have to go to such an extent that bares their bodies?! Riduculous. AND, to add on to the point, it cost around $10 ++ for a top, which doesn't have much material. -Oh my god!-

Heard from my younger sis that PM Lee Hsien Loong will be visiting Boon Lay Area and will be using one of our art classrooms for his resting area. hee... hope he will visit our classrooms and see us at work. Wanna talk to him! SMS Rui Jie and told him that... here's what he said.
"Betta meet..Den can tok 2 him..Hahax..quit e cool if u tell others u tok 2 him b4.."

Went for the W1 Cluster Forum about the Economic Challenges of Singpore. Well, it turned out that it wasn't a forum at all! It's kind of a promotion for Ngee Ann Polytechnic. -bleah- To think they came out such a nice name for their talk. Sir said that it's quite useless, cause RV doesn't encourage students to attend poly after the 'O's. Anyway, their refreshment was quite nice. I like their tuna sandwich and chocolate best! yummy... Met Wee Kiat from OBS.

Told Han today that Willie left a note in her blog yesterday. She was so damn happy! =) and kept repeating his message to herself. o_O

Going to ZPop at Padang with her tomorrow evening. Hope it will be a fun concert! =)

Wednesday, August 25, 2004 @4:38 PM

geez... Had stomachache today, in the middle of English lesson. That made Han rushed to the bookshop like a mad woman, to buy a Panadol pill for me. But she came back with a bottle of feng you (oilment). She wanted to apply it for me on my tummy but it was really inconvenient to do so in class, so she requested for us to go to the washroom. Outside the washroom, she decided that it was better for me to go to the sickbay to have a rest. I staggered as she held on to my arm, telling me jokes along the way trying to make me laugh. I sniggered and my tummy hurts even more. Such a strange feeling... o_O

At the second floor linkway, Huang lao shi saw me when she lift her head out of her pile of work and immediately stood up to help. She got the keys to the sickbay while Han rubbed the oilment on my tummy with my 3rd button undid on the staff lounge. Mr Ang was standing right behind, I hope he didn't see anything. -opps!-

Slept in the sickbay for over an hour, with Han coming in occasionally to check on me. Gave me warm water, asked about me, talk to me and helping me up etc.

Han ar... thanks alot for your help today hor!!! =) I love you, dearie! You were concerned about me than anyone else. I am very grateful for that!!! How much is that bottle of oilment? Must tell me ok, even if you don't, I will ask the auntie for the price! -winks- Anyway, thanks a zillion times! love ya...

Returned to class just in time for PDP lesson. heez.. I earned $69 000 today. Han earned a shocking amount of $249K. woah... and so she won a prize. =) very nice one, a device which tells you the time of different countries, alarm clock and if I'm not wrong, a calculator too!!!

Assembly was a talk from Health Board, about STDs and AIDS. The pictures freak everyone out. Following that, was a briefing by Ms Tan Aik Ling telling us about the procedures for our Science Practicals. yea, and I was called out for the Zhong Qiu jie thingy. I am in the committee, along with Yue Qiu and Zongxiao. Hope it will not be too tedious.

and yar, Cat told me that she wrote about me in her compo today. -tears- How? Why am I always touched by her?

Special thanks to: HAN!, Huang lao shi, Lin lao shi, Mr Ang, Candy, Zhang Yun and You Wei for their concern. =)

Also, thanks to: Donald for his cucumbers, Victor for some of his brani rice (I WAS SO DAMN HUNGRY!) , Joel for a sip of his drink and Songhua for his Hello Panda Biscuit. =)

Monday, August 23, 2004 @4:05 PM

What an emotional letdown. From nowhere, came this ray of hope - only to be cruelly dashed. Of course, no one blames Jiawei. She started crying the moment she stepped out of the playing arena at the Galatsi Olympic Hall yesterday and continued walking towards the changing room eveh when the media zoomed in on her. But she turned back, trying to smile behind that little white towel with which she had wiped away nervous perpiration from her palms and brow.

All watched her play at home. It was so heart-breaking to see her lose where Singapore could actually achieve her second medal from Olympics after 44 years since Tan Howe Liang's weightlifting silver from Rome. Jiawei lost because she could not let go of the disappointing results from the previous match. Undoubtly, the pressure on her to perform is so intense. My elder sis actually felt that and was determined not to watch her final go at a medal yesterday, for fear of bursting into tears when her hard work did not pay off. My younger sis and I did and unfortunately, we left the couch with a heavy heart.

Saw the teary-eyed Jiawei on the front page of The Straits Times and Asia? I did, during recess today and my heart went all out to her. Well, to tell the truth, I almost broke down too. A drop of tear was in risk of tumbling out of my eye. I held it back and for that, my confidence in Jiawei's performance in the next Bejing Olympic doubled. I shall save that drop of tear for her victory in Beijing, four years hence. I will be 19 then. Wuhan said that she will be watching it live in Beijing and promised to bring my prayers and hopes there to cheer Jiawei and Susilo on.

Yes, sports isn't just medals. It's doing our best, trying again, overcoming setbacks and depending on each other, being part of Team Singapore. Jiawei fulfilled all of the above criteria and for that, she deserves our praise and cheers. She brought hope for Singapore, and often, it is that ray of hope that keeps us going. Susilo, please take really good care of Jiawei! She really needs you at this point of time.

Go for it, Singapore! Singapore's second Olympic medal may not have been won in Athens, but it's on its way, soon. Jiawei will knock all her noisy opponents out with her comeback and shut them up. Jiawei, jiayou! We're behind you all the way!
_____________________________________________________________
Go read about PM Lee's National Day Rally in the Straits Times today. There are wonderful things to be hopeful about. For example, the five-day week, SAP scholarship and less work load for students. Of course, not forgetting the part about the making of babies! His speech was really interesting and had a lot of humourous elements within. There will be repeated telecast, so if you happen to miss it, go catch it another day! =)

Anyway, during Chemistry Practical today, Peng Bo almost set the entire laboratry on fire. Know what he did? He poured the organic solvent into the sink before setting in on fire with 3 matchsticks! It was quite a big one, considering that we had never encounter such SHOCKING act of mischief before. He will pay for that. [hee... I am glad that my ears are quiet today, away from the clattering, high-pitched voice! I feel happier now! =)]

Humph. I guess today's Chemistry common test brought everybody's spirit down. It's just so depressing. What the... can't we just have Mrs Goh back?!

Saturday, August 21, 2004 @7:01 PM

Tension can really kill.

Once again, my heart shatters following the defeat of Jia Wei today.

She shouldn't have lost. Really. She was leading all the way. There was even a game where she scored 11-0. It's a waste. At the last game (game 7), both of them were competing point for point. I can really feel the tension over there. It was so scary. All of us at home were glued to the screen for that 1 hour. There were of course cheers and silent prayers shooting out of our mouths, just clinging on to the hope that the silver medal will belong to Singapore. Alas, our hope dashed when Korea scored their match point. 11-9. Everything was over.

Jiawei did well. Although the results didn't turn out the way we wanted, her fight against Korea was commendable. Well done, Jiawei. No matter what, Singapore still has her hope of a bronze medal after 44 years of waiting. Let's all work towards that.

Jiawei, you can do it. Jiayou. We are all behind you. Go for it girl! To all, let's pray for this miracle to happen and for Jiawei to stand proudly on the rostrum tomorrow, with the bronze medal glistening around her neck. Let's all keep up the Singapore spirit!

Friday, August 20, 2004 @7:01 PM

Susilo's defeat shattered my heart and soul.

Yes, Susilo did tried very hard not to give up in the first game despite his horrible form, but gave up the cause much more willingly in the second, especially after trailling love-seven. Those who watched the match knew this fact very well. No, no one is to blame him. He is really worn out after the 2 matches before this. Saw his relieved expression after the game was over? 2 matches in consecutive days against strong opponents proved to be a great factor in his defeat. Nevertheless, he brought glory to Singapore and all at home are proud of him, including myself.

Why was his worst performance compounded by the possibility that it couldn't have happened at a more crucial moment? In a word, age. By Olympic measure, he's 25, going on ageing. When the next Olympics is held, he will be 29. While it will be wrong to rule out his chances for another stab, the task is harder. Fung Permadi, a Chinese Indonesian shuttler who opted to play for Taiwan after he was rebuffed by his country of birth, qualified for a lesser marquee final - the All-England - at 29.

His feat is exception, which is why Athens was Susilo's best Olympic chance. That is also why the defeat carries a tragic feel. His worst day at the office came at the moment when he desperately needed to be at his best. For Singapore, the defeat leads to the same question: When, after 44 years of waiting now, will the second Olympic medal come?

Zhang Xue Ling is out of table tennis. The hope of a medal is on Li Jia Wei now. Her pressure to perform will be greater than her boyfriend, Susilo. Jiayou.

Comments extracted from the newspaper

"I'm not making any excuses. I tried but didn't play well. I was frustrated. Perhaps it was the expectations - mine and everybody else's."
-Ronald Susilo, after yesterday's defeat by Boonsak Ponsana

"You know, I worked hard the first two rounds. No reason for me not to work hard today. I tried, really tried, but nothing went right. My mind was off."
-Ronald Susilo

"Ronald can be very proud of himself. He wasn't expected to go this far. He can come back with his head held high. We had only one expectation of him and that was to play his best."
-Minister Lim Swee Say, SBA president, who was in tears after Susilo's loss

"It's in the nature of sport, that you can't win all the time. His efforts have enticed a younger generation of sporting talent. It's important that we keep trying."
-Vivian Balakrishnan, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, who watched the match with about 80 people at the SSC Recreation Club

"He already did his best to go this far. We're still very proud of him."
-Susilo's father Antonius Boediono, who was watching the match on cable television in Jakarta

"He is capable of much better. But he will still remain my friend and my favourite badminton player."
-Alton Chew, 10, national age-group player, friend and fan of Susilo

I am proud of him. Are you?

Wednesday, August 18, 2004 @7:02 PM

Tomorrow: Physics Test (Pressure and Transfer of thermal energy)

Collected my IC today from the General Office. -happy- It's a new style now.

Anyway, today was quite depressing and happy?! Depressing, partly of the class during PE. hiaz... I really don't know what to do le. Class spirit is just not there even though it's after 8 months. What's wrong with us? Candy and Hui Xian cried during PE because of this. Had a loooooooong talk with Mr Lim again. I went to him because I knew he could help me/the class in one way or another. He counselled me of course, telling me that are many factors causing such a problem. -sigh- He said that he would have a talk with the class tomorrow during S.S lesson. I pray that he can have an influence over the class, at least over the boys. -they are damn unwillingly to get down to work-

Feeling slightly happy because of PDP lesson today. Earned a total of $44000++. Wensi and WuHan detected my unhappiness (thanks!) and asked me what happened. I just pushed all possibilities they asked to the side and remained slient about it. [sorry.]

It's Rachel's last day today although she's migrating to Australia next January. She gave a clock to the class as a farewell gift and a letter + a special tribute to all. Didn't talk to her much, she was surrounded by many people who wanted to have a last photograph with her. Nevertheless, wishing her all the best in Australia. We will have a farewell party in the later part of the year. =)

Oh man... Susilo is on the verge of losing...... this is sooooo damn worrying. He seems to be losing focus already. Oh dear... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... save me!!!!!!! =(

Tuesday, August 17, 2004 @8:38 PM

Tomorrow: English Literature test

There's no morning run today. That's something to celebrate! heez... =)

Mr Lim talked to me about WuHan, about her star dream and things like that. Ask about the class and how are their attitude towards Peng Bo. He was quite nice, mixing Chinese and English together, laughing at his own jokes. Well, Mr Lim is quite nice when talking to you privately, very different from the way he conducts his lessons.

English lesson was funny! Wu Han told Ms Chan that Peng Bo has big breasts and burst out laughing! -gasp- Ms Chan took a look at Peng Bo and told him that he is sick. o_O bleah. Anyway, our lesson revolved around horoscope. Vague, with some mystic element within was my contribution to the discussion. Han was excited over her horoscope, about her love life. -_-''' =) Yea, Willie and her.

CCA photo taking today. I took 2 group photos today, one for class leaders and the other CO. As usual, I am at the end of the line. o_O heez. CO's informal was funny. The photographer just clicked on his camera without waiting for our poses. That drew lots of protest and grumbles from us. Anyway, the wait for our turn almost killed me.

Found out something shocking... -gasp- Oh man... YY and ZR?!

YEA! Susilo won Germany... yea yea! So damn happy! Another happy piece of news following that of him beating Lin Dan of China! I really hope that he continues with this and we will be able to achieve our first medal from Olympics after 44 years! =) Jing Jun Hong missed her chance 4 years ago at Sydney. BUT, I am damn disappointed with our swimming team. hiaz... Hopes for medals are dashed.

Anyway, the 176 driver shut laylay and nalan up for talking on the bus. wah lao, what logic is that? Doesn't he know that we as a democratic society have the freedom of speech? I was so damn pissed.

Monday, August 16, 2004 @7:56 PM

Tomorrow is the start of the common test week.
Tomorrow: Social Studies Test (Northen Ireland)

Yea! Susilo beat World No 1 Lin Dan in badminton! heez... this is certainly a great piece of new to Singapore! I am soooooo happy for him! I hope his girlfriend, Li Jiawei (table tennis), will do Singapore proud too, bringing home medals!!! =) Some sad news though. The swimmers I had high hopes on didn't qualify for the semi-finals. -sad-

Mmmm, Ms Chan commented that I am nervous in front of Wu Han??!!! hahahx... han and I had a good laugh over that during English lesson today!!!! gosh, what kind of logic is that? If I am nervous in front of Han, what is she in the presence of Willie? Frightened out of her wits???! -laughs- Well, Ms Chan did IT AGAIN! I don't have to mention it... it's so damn obvious right? Yea, you are right, that act again! You should see Rui Jie and Chao Lin when You Wei told them about it. Chao Lin stole a glance and buried his head on the table, while Rui Jie was trying to hide while laughing, face red as a tomato. EVEN Jianming who hasn't has his spectacles on today, caught the view well!!! o_O

Ok... hope Singapore atheletics continue to work hard... I hope to hear news of a medal soon! wooooooo~ jiayou! =)

Sunday, August 15, 2004 @5:41 PM

So many people posted their notes on my tagboard le. I read Songhua's message and visited Cat's blog. Oh man.... that special entry to me. I was sooo damn touched! Ahhhhhhh Cat... -tears-

I shall post what she wrote here.
to someone
dear someone...i just wanna say that it wasn't becos i did not care...
but because i was afraid to broach the subject.
Sec 1 days u haf demonstrated leadership qualities
but sadly fate was not on your side
sec 2 days, ur glory has not diminished...
but once again fate was not on ur side
sec 3 days, u were made chairperson
and i hung on to that
i knew u wuld make it to SC one day
but i was crushed when ur name was not to be seen
pray, do not fret
u will make it there one day
just not here
perhaps.
Leadership runs in your blood
so take urself to greater heights
than serve in RVSC.
Take care and God bless
i am always behind u.=D

So, this entry is dedicated to Cat and friends.
*Hey guys, thanks for that! Really. I appreciate what you people have done for me. =) To Songhua, Weekiat, Cat, Han, Mic, you people really touched me. I have my friends and family behind me, that's enough. Positions are imaginary. It's the bonds between us that are treasured so deeply in me. Thanks! I love you people.

Saturday, August 14, 2004 @6:39 PM

Damn. My tagboard is down again. humph... =(

Laylay was absent from CO today... I miss her. *are you alright? =( I broke my first string during Wu Ti 3 in da zhu. I didn't bring the new stack of strings... (opps!) so I tried using my second string to play all the high notes. That made Yan Rong burst into laughter. =)

Just read Han's blog. They had an enjoyable time at the library on Friday, researching on aliens and ghosts.... Han was there telling her typical ghost stories that goes...

Me: you3 yi2 ge4 bus hor.... (burst out in laughter)HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
cheekok + Buor: -_-
Me: you3 yi2 ge4 bus hor....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAc
heekok + Buor: -_-"""""
Me: you3 yi2 ge4 bus hor...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

geez... Go read her blog for more details! -winks-

Friday, August 13, 2004 @8:25 PM

Mmm... had photo taking as a class today! =) ha, actually our time schedule is fixed at 1.10pm but our dear Mr Suria postponed it to 1.30pm to finish up our Phyiscs assignment 14~ Anyway, Mr Suria only knew that I was the shortest in class today. o_O I stupidly told him, as I was the last one at the end of the girl's row and he was standing beside me. He thought for awhile, looked around and laughed, Xie lao shi too. heez. Xie lao shi asked me to skip everday and even eat eggs shell?! -_-'''' She said that egg's shell contains calcium. I guess it has to be boiled until soft before consumation. The boys teased me of my height again (as usual. what's new? -winks-).

Yue Qiu was like asking Mr Suria to pop Slim10 pills, as he took up a considerable amount of space. o_O opps. he just laughed it away. The informal one was fun! Wuhan came down from the backrow and sat beside me, hugging me from the neck! hee dear... almost strangled me. yea, at least we are together in the photo together this year! Last year, i couldn't push my way behind! =) I hugged Jen, Jen hugged ah ma and ah ma hugged fuer! BUT, I think I blinked at the informal one, hope it turns out alright!

I scored 86/90 for my HCL test! -happy- =)

It's common test week next week! jiayou! Meanwhile, enjoy your weekends! =)

Thursday, August 12, 2004 @9:46 PM

I just watched the swearing-in ceremony at Istana on television. Mmm... Mr Lee Hsien Loong made a little mistake (guess he was just too nervous), he repeated "preserve" twice in his swear after Chief Justice Yong Pung How. Anyway, the ceremony was a quiet and relaxing one. ha, I saw Fann Wong within the 1400 people present. =) I believed them zoomed in on her on purpose. Go read yesterday's and today's newspaper for a Straits Times special (HOME) on Mr Goh and Mr Lee respectively. They are quite interesting. =) Here's a short description of Mr Lee extracted from today's newpapers.

"In school, schoolmates from afar saw a tall, gangly boy with his trademark water bottle slung around his body. During recess, he brought a tuck-box to the canteen. Sometimes, he sat alone. Everyone knew he was then-prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's son. Many kept their distance. It didn't help that he was also brilliant academically, and other boys felt intimidated. "

"Once, some of them sneaked up and stole some cake from his tuck-box. Another time, they asked him to stand beside a short staff member on stage, hoping thus to juxtapose the tall Hsien Loong's height with the shortness of the former. He gamely did, and the boys chortled."

The tall that constrast with the short sounds like me and my friends who like to tease me of my height. o_O heez. Didn't know that PM Lee has such interesting childhood. He was also a President Scholar. whoa~ impressive!

Now, a new prime minister will now write a new chapter for Singapore. I sincerely hope that he will work together with his government to bring Singapore to greater heights. Our generation will definitely be affected by any policies that the new government implement in future.

Mmm... to Songhua and Weekiat, really touched by both of you lar. Firstly, thanks to Songhua for your trust and faith in me. You said that I was better than many on the list. heez, really flattered by that and at the same time encouraged too. -smilex- ahaha, yar, 3 years of campaigning that turns out into nothingness. Mmm... It's ok. Really, I'm fine with it. =) And to Weekiat, thanks for cheering me up (although I don't know what's that for, I wasn't feeling anything abt it o_O), with your crappy jokes (as usual). TADA! ^_^ Thanks for that! As good friends, both of you brought much life and happiness in me! -touched-

hee, Han ar, I also noted that you tried to avoid that topic so as not to hurt my feelings. Thanks for being so sweet and sensitive! I wasn't feeling anything about it. Really. If I am not wrong, when Jen and I were at the stall, you whispered into Jen's ears about it, right? -grinz- Thanks dear! =) And to Mic, sorry for disappointing you! Ah yes, I must extend my congratulations to Fei Ran who got into the council!!! =)

There's photo taking tomorrow! AND school ends early @ 1.50pm! yea!

Wednesday, August 11, 2004 @6:47 PM

We attended a financial lecture during PDP lessons today. Initially, I thought it would be a boring 3-week lecture which we paid $35 for using our Edusave. Luckily, today's session changed my entire perception of it! hahahx... well, I would say it was very fun and exciting... with that boardgame (Business Cycle Change). It's something very similar to monopoly, buying and selling properties, paying income taxes, planning for your retirement etc. Although it's a game everyone should have had their hands on, the process and atmosphere of it is still as exciting as ever! =) I was the banker today... had tremendous fun! Handling money while trying to roll the dices at the same time. o_O. The anxiety in me is building up whenever my turn is pressing near. You should see Han at the game, so engrosed and excited over it!!!! -laughs-

In total, I earned $29750, the highest in my group as I landed myself a job in the private sector as a manager. Salary: $6000 a month. I hope that will turn into reality in future (or even higher!) heez... =)

PE was fun too. As usual, it was a game of badminton. This time it was with Jen and Ah Ma. 1 (me) against 2. Han was busy trying to find inspiration for her composition of her new song for Willie. Poor thing, she didn't had any though.
-_-''' Jen and Ah Ma were lame today. Jen
threw the shuttlecork into the air while Ah Ma was in charged of serving it to me. ha. Surprisingly, there were times when this was successful! Anyway, a piece of skin peeled from my left hand, second finger, while I was playing badminton. Jen guessed it's a blister that broke. -pain- Thanks for getting that plaster for me!!!! =)

and yup, (can't forget to mention this) Weekiat treated me to Milo again!!! =) thanks thanks! BUT, I was just too full to glup down the entire 330 ml! Asked weekiat to finish it for me, he refused and threw it into the dustbin. Oh man, I committed a sin by wasting food!!! Weekiat, see lar, you made me a sinner.
-sob- (No lar, just kiddding!)

Received the email laylay sent. laylay, I will reply you asap!!! =) I really understand how you feel!!! -winks- Glad that u enjoyed your lunch at Seoul Garden yesterday with Desmond personally attending to you!! heez. =)

[Watch your attitude. One who is a cheater, another a betrayer/traitor (I SHOULDN'T HAVE TOLD YOU ANYTHING! A person with lousy character.), the last a follower. Why can't you people just stand up for what you believe in? I did. Where did your courage go do? The dustbin? Bootlickers. Sucking up to someone who doesn't command any respect. Stop flashing that fake smile of yours. I wouldn't buy that over. I am not an idiot who has no sense of what's happening, all your whisperings, mumurings and small gatherings. IN FACT, I am more sensitive than you can ever imagine! IF you dare (which I DON'T THINK U DO), say it loud and clear into my face!]

Tuesday, August 10, 2004 @8:56 PM

Well well... seems like many people watched the Singapore Idol yesterday. hahahx, i still think it's a whole load of rubbish and crap. Everyone's blog (latest entry) seems to be commenting on some hot favourites, like the lemon tree guy, striptease, a guy who claims he sings with his dan tian (diaphragm) yet nothing can be heard o_O etc.

Mmm... found out from edulearn that we are supposed to put up a Maths presentation which last for 3-4 for oral assessment! AND, the oral assessment is 20% of 2nd semester CA marks! It can be:
1)any math problem solving
2)any math concept
3)history of any mathematician or math important event

-screams!-
When did oral have to be graded in Maths too???!!! What is the world coming to??? hiaz... Those who haven't have a faint idea of this, I suggest you better go visit our edulearn NOW~

See you people tomorrow! =) yea, looking forward to PE! BADMINTON!!!!!!!

Monday, August 09, 2004 @9:16 PM

Happy 39th Birthday Singapore!!!!!!!! =)

Yea! It's the 39th year of independence we achieved as one people, one nation, one Singapore since our separation from Malaysia. Till now, I still think Mr Lee made the right choice. I am definitely proud to be a Singaporean! =)

National Day Parade was quite nice! mmm... I spotted a fault that everyone watching it should know too. A navy officer ALMOST dropped the flag he was holding, he staggered for a second before regaining his balance. whew~ that's close! My dad was saying that if he were to really drop that flag, he will be demoted the next day. whoa~ That's sooooo serious!!! luckily he didn't! =)

JJ Lin Jun Jie was there to sing the theme song "Home"! I just love his voice! It's so special and unique... His outfit fits the song too! Nice tie there... =)

This is the last year Mr Goh Chok Tong appears at the National Day Parade as our Prime Minister. He will be handling over his duties to Mr Lee Hsien Loong and his team on 12 August. Hopefully, they will be able to pick up the baton and run the lap well, continuing with Mr Goh's success. =)

Singapore Idol is quite... erhm, funny? hahhx... well, at least I was laughing away. There's this guy trying to be the Singapore version of William Hung, singing Lemon Tree with childish hand gestures that made the judges cover their eyes with their palms. No comment on that, it's just sooooo damn comical. o_O And there's this girl, she started crying even before she started singing. -bleah- I guess she was really nervous and stressed out at the audition. Poor thing. Dick Lee commented that if she couldn't even handle an audition, he can't imagine how she will perform on the stage if she managed to get through this audition

YES, and there's someone who performed a stripping act, right down to his briefs, which was like neon yellow?! That's gross!!! I believed that didn't impress the judges too. Not forgetting to mention that a guy fainted during the audition as he had giddy spells. Another stressed-out person. Some people came to the audition with huge ego and attitude problem (AP) that really pissed the judges off, esp, Dick Lee. hahahx... he was like, "I feel so humilated and insulted!" I think people should just take note of their attitude. Being confident is good, but overly confident can lead to your downfall. Take note.

Next week, there will be this Banana Man... (but I don't think I will be watching).

Enjoy your National Day holidays~ lalalala

[My worst fears have come true. NO ONE will approve of such a union. Both of you are really not meant for each other. If that day comes, it will only prove to be a blow to all of us. Imagine the hurt you will bring about. Wake up, please. There's still time for you to turn back.]

Sunday, August 08, 2004 @1:55 PM

YEA! I got an A for my watercolour painting today!!! haahahx... so happy! Been a long time since I scored an A in watercolour!!! lalalala~ =) Mr Yap's words to me were very encouraging! He said that I had made tremendous improvements over the last 2 years!!! =)

Went to my cousin's engagement lunch right after art class. Shockingly, I saw her crying once I stepped into my grandmother's house. My father, mother, aunt and sister were crowding around her, talking to her. I found out that it's because of that friend again. The story goes like this: My cousin has a very good friend from polytechnic who kindly encouraged her to study university part time while working. So, my cousin took her advice and did what she said. After a few years of hard work, she finally graduated. This GREAT FRIEND of hers was sooooooo damn jealous as my cousin has a higher education than her, which means higher pay, that she started giving my cousin a cold shoulder. The worst thing is, they are both working in the same company and have to face each other everyday. My cousin was so depressed that she feared going to work everyday. THE LAST RESORT: She resigned and left the company about a month ago. JUST BECAUSE OF HER FRIEND! She just can't seem to face a lost friend that she once held on to so dearly. The hurt caused is so deep.

This is so damn ironic right? When reality steps in, no matter how strong your friendship bond is, things just starts to fall out of place. Are our relationship with people so fragile that the ties cannot withstand strong blows? The stange thing in this situation is that she was the one who came up with that idea, yet jealous when things went out of her imagination - a higher education compared to her poly diploma. Sad, really sad. I hope I will never ever have to experience such pain caused by a good friend.

Saturday, August 07, 2004 @3:19 PM

Yesterday.

Humph. Wu Han and I were in school when we discovered that we were the only ones wearing the SIA, other than Shu Hui (Student Council President). In the beginning, I was actually quite worried that we were kind of out of place. Ha. But, I was used to it after some time. =)

National Day concert was actually quite boring, nothing that is very entertaining. I think Sec 3s were quite good this year, having the fashion parade and skit. Those were the only two that I had my full attention on. 3C was fun!!! =) 3K won the fashion parade. Whoa~ with laylay's hand on Desmond's shoulder. -whistle-

Han, Jen, Ah Ma, Bu Or and I headed to Orchard first and waited for lay and Nalan there as they are having their Chemistry remedial. All of us ate KFC for our lunch... lips is just too ex! Ha, I couldn't afford la. $12++ o_O Next, we split up into 2 groups. Nalan, lay and Jen went to Shaw to get movie tickets for Ella Enchanted as Cineleisure wasn't showing it. Han, Bu Or and I then went to Heeren. In the end, it turned out that Shaw doesn't have the movie too. A wasted trip there.

Anyway, the public attention Han and I received were tremendous!!! It's because we didn't change out of our SIA uniform and went strutting down to town in it!!!! Here are some of the things people on the street say:

"Are we at the airport?"
"Are they for real?"
"Why is one so tall and the other short?" -___- '''
"Ha, SIA girls!

etc.

Others were just staring and staring at us~ o_O It's like everywhere we go, eyes are bound to be on us and whispering can be heard. Some were actually laughing at us. Never mind, we were pretending we didn't hear anything. Ok, so the moral of the story is: Not to wear the SIA uniform anywhere but in school. Actually, we wore it to test out the reaction of the public lar, just for the fun of it. This will be my first and last time! -opps- I met my sister at Heeren and she was laughing at me... -sob- Poor Han. Her feet was soooooo painful due to the high heels that she wore. take care dear.

Took neoprints at Heeren. THERE WERE SOOOOOOOOO MANY PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!! I almost couldn't breathe inside the shop. Hee hee, but I guess the wait was quite worth it as the neoprints were quite nice. =) Nice nice. The shooting process was quite exciting though. We had so many people (7 people) inside the booth and had to change positions for every shot. A messy situation inside but we managed well. =)
______________________________________________________________
Today.

Wu Ti 5 is really nice!!! The melody and everything... whoa. I think lay and I are in love with the song le. =) Just received news that tan bo and di zi are selected to perform at Orchid Park country club on Teachers' Day! WE must tell Si Tu lao shi about it! =) hahahx.

[Why are you avoiding me? If you have a clear conscience, your eyes will not be darting around with my presence. I dare you to look straight into my eyes. No eye contact = Guilty. Get it? Without you, my life is still going on perfectly well.]

Thursday, August 05, 2004 @5:35 PM

Yippee! The day started well with Mr Suria assuring us that we are able to wear the SIA uniform tomorrow for National Day's celebration during carpark assembly. YES! =) You may think we are going bonkers (o_O), but Wuhan, Jen and I are really excited about this idea! hahahx... silly huh? Mmm... and I'm going to bring a pair of slip-ons for Jen and she will in turn bring Ocean's CD (burned) for me. I predict tomorrow will be a happy one! yea, not forgetting to mention that we will be taking neoprints in town and having our lunch at lips! lalalala... =)

hahahx... laylay kept to her promise and gave me a sweet for my correct answer (go to her blog for more details). yup, nice grape sweet. AND, she stolen it from her sis when she's still asleep this morning. -tsk tsk- =)

I didn't remember to update this in yesterday's entry. Rachel and I played against Rui Jie and Chao Lin (badminton) during PE lesson. hee hee, it was really fun playing with them. Rui Jie was like dodging the shuttle cork by allowing it to zoom past his head to Chao Lin. Many funny things happened. -smilex- A cute pair of guys... Then, I exchanged with Zongxiao and played singles with Jin-E. ha, I have to admit that Jin-E is really great in his serving and strikes. All are very swift and powerful. Something to be proud of: I managed to get past most of his strikes, jumping as high as I could! I guess he can be my mentor in both Chemistry and badminton. = l

I received back the S.S test paper and A Maths paper. I did well for S.S but badly for A Maths. I scored 22/25 for S.S! =) I was very happy! yar, and Wensi did better, with a score of 23/25~ I think she has the highest! Congrats gal! =) BUT, A Maths completely drowned the happiness out. -sigh- depressing paper. I made many careless mistakes that caused my horrendous lost of marks. I shan't have my marks out here. It's just too... poor (to my expectations). [Hope hanhan doesn't comment on the previous statement.] Our FuEr scored the highest in our class - 87/100! Congrats too~ =) Something to mention here. Fei Ran achieved the perfect score. 105/100. Shocking? -durrr- He even has the bonus question right. woah~ A steady 6-pointer.

After school, we went to Popular to get some stuff. I bought things worth of $25++, after the discount from Jen's Popular card. so heavy... all the foolscap fault. humph. Jen, Fu Er and Ah Ma were soooooo fascinated with the cutie pictures on plastic paper holder. Fu Er, esp, went weak in her legs as according to her, the pictures melted her heart. -___-''' One cost $1.90. Jen bought 3, Fu Er bought 4 and Ah Ma bought 1. They even requested the cashier to allow them to place them in the plastic bag themselves, in fear of the plastic holder being folded due to the cashier's carelessness. -__-'''

yup, I am looking forward to the long weekend... -shiok-

-Stop giving me that attitude. You are the one at fault. I don't deserve that sucky black look on your face. A paraniod freak. Imagining that people are angry when they are not. Stop disrupting our lives.-

Wednesday, August 04, 2004 @5:25 PM

ahhhhhhhhhh! I just survived a heartattack! Just a moment ago, I tried to sign into blogspot. I was very sure that my username and password was correct. Once, twice, thrice... so many times! I had a fleeting thought that my account has been hacked into. UNTIL NOW. So scared. -phew- Luckily, I am still able to blog now! I realised the importance of this blog to me.

Chinese test was quite ok... Just worried about one zao ju, "yun niang". hahhax... Anyway, really, all tests are over! [at least for now] heez... I am really looking forward to Friday! It's National Day celebrations! Wu Han and I went up to Shu Hui (student council president) who was at the second floor linkway doing her work. Wu han was like putting both her palms on the table and said, "Hiya!" She looked up and wuhan asked whether we are allowed to wear the SIA uniform on that day. She said, "Yes." I questioned further and she stopped me. "I am having a test now. Can you ask me later?" -opps- Wuhan and I got a shock!!!! We apologised and scrambled away. -bleah- I was so...... sorry.

Yea... and we are heading to Orchard after that. -yippee- =) Yan Wen told me in the toilet today that OBS Marshall (our group) will have an outing on Sunday @ Marina Parade to watch the fireworks. Well... obviously it's at night. So... I am still considering whether to go or not. I mean... my parents may not allow. Should I or should I not?

Jen, Fu Er, Ah Ma and I discussed about our plans on Fri during Assembly. I tried persuading Jen to wear her SIA uniform to school and not bring it to school to change. She said she doesn't have the confidence to wear it throughout her journey to school, where many people will probably stare at her. 0_O I guess I wasn't persuasive enough. She wasn't convinced by me that 21st century girls should be bolder and not care about other's perspective of you! -_-''''

She also told me about some SJAB stuff. Really happy for her that she's not the secretary anymore. It's really stressful when you have to handle so many things. And of course... some small talks here and there. Now, I really know that person better.

Hanhan is at dance now... hope everything will be alright. She says she might only reach home at 7pm. -gosh-

Tuesday, August 03, 2004 @6:25 PM

Ok... I think this will be another short entry here.

We didn't have Morning Run today as the time is used to complete a survey from the PE Department on our views about the run which takes up 30 mins every Tuesday. Obviously many didn't like morning run... so yar, you should know our responses. -winks- Sooooo glad that there was no run today... I wasn't in the mood for it. hahahahx... guess it's first time in History too?

Chemistry practical was ok today... managed to get QA 5 done all by myself! =) The only thing is that I broke a BEAKER!!! -sob- o_O Solution S was splattered all over the floor and on my shoes. Now my left shoe has yellow spots on it. bwahhhhh... Ms Khang came over with a broom and helped me to sweep the floor. It was very nice of Wendy to help me too. She even took the cloth, wet it and tried to clean up the mess for me. I was very touched! Thanks thanks... =)

Received Mrs Goh's notes from Yue Qiu this morning. In total, there are 11 sets. hiaz... this made me think of Mrs Goh again. I really really miss her. Wondering how is she doing now. Why do all the good teachers in RV have to leave? Why?

Mrs Choy said that she will be returning our A Maths test paper either tomorow or Thursday. -bleah-

Well... English lesson today was a little obscene. Ms Chan was wearing this sleeveless white top with a plunging neckline. As she went around the groups and bend down, ... almost everything could be seen. -opps- And guess what. Everyone in the class was following her with their eyes ready in action to catch the "best view"! Rui Jie had his face red like a tomato... he's really shy. Jian Ming and Jin Hui were high-5-ing each other whenever they saw THAT. -gosh- The entire class was giggling instead of working on their transparency, and Ms Chan, being the innocent one, was appalled. Weelll, I think she still doesn't know the reason. -grin-

I found back my film index le... hahahx... Hui Xian found it on the floor! I was looking for it for a few days, so I was sooooooo elated to get it back! =)

Anyway, there's Chinese test after school tomorrow. People, jiayou!!! =)

Monday, August 02, 2004 @5:49 PM

Well... it's the start of a new week again! Mmm... I am feeling much better now after getting over and done with the last week. Anyway, talking about today, the first period was a bad one! Ms Chan came in and when she realised that 3/4 of the class didn't do her homework she assigned last Friday, she was in a rage! Made those people stand and state their reasons one by one... I was really distracted by her sacarstic comments and high-pitched voice that I couldn't concentrate on the compo. hiaz... In the end, we had to stay back after school to finish it up. I really can't understand her. She gave 3C such a looooooong period of time (more than a week) to get it done and our class, 2 and a half days? This is totally unfair.

Yep... remembered something that I must really mention here, something that left me and my friends thoroughly disgusted. -bleah- Once I stepped onto the 2nd floor this morning, I saw 2 familiar people outside a classroom (shan't name it too). Well, they are NYR and TCH (Only my close friends know what exactly they stand for). She was facing him and pushing him on his chest using her hand, saying something like, "Ni hen tao yan leh!" (You are very irritating leh) with pout lips. -yucks- "I count to 3, you must say it, ok?" Oh my god... that was enough for me to take. I increased my footsteps and walked past them quickly. At the split second, I saw TCH glancing at me. Went into 3K to find laylay to tell her about my latest discovery, but she was late for school today! o_O Some people are so damn shameless... announcing their scandal in broad daylight, so openly!

I got back Chemistry test paper back. 23/30. I would say it's quite average. I really could have gotten better if I didn't make silly mistakes in MCQ and forgetting to write "aqueous" in Acidified Potassium Iodide. It should be either acidified aqueous potassium iodide or acidified potassium iodide solution. -bleah- silly me. That costs me 2 marks! Jiaying got 28.5/30 and Jin-E got 28/30. Congrats!!! You all really did well. =)

Physics practical was ok. We had to find the freezing point of naphtalene by carrying out the experiment. Quite fun. BUT, I think someone is really unsure of her answer that she has to copy mine. I was so damn pissed. Why does she have to bother me during every practical? It happens during Chemistry too! I got so frustrated that I emptied everything in my pencil box noisily to cover my answers today. I HOPE SHE GETS THE HINT! Xingyu was pissed with her in the bus too... saying, "Wo ren ni hen jiu le hor!" (I have been tolerating you for a long time!)

Mr Lim was in a good mood today. He even said, "La Di Da", in class. hahahx... =) Anyway, he wanted to return us our S.S test papers but Mr Chew suddenly came in and said that some scripts are still unmarked. So... I think we will have to wait to Thursday. Laylay got 19/25 (A1)for her S.S test, second highest after Jackson who scored 20/25. Good job done!

Sensed that Hanhan is really happy today... she just keeps smiling and her cheeks are a healthy pink!

I am glad that people really liked the essay I typed over the past 3 days. Yea, it does really reflects a lot on our goals in life. Is it just results, power and money that we are searching in life? Does owning all those entitles us to happiness? I don't think so.

People, remember to watch Channel 8 @ 8pm today, "I am the invention king". 2 RV boys are on TV for their invention. Let's give them our support! =)

Sunday, August 01, 2004 @7:05 PM

[continued]
They climbed into the convertible in silence and her daughter drove along the highway, this time not as fast as she had done before.

"Ma," Bee Choo finally said. "I don't know how to put this. Mark and I have been talking about it and we plan to move out of the big house. The property market is good now, and we managed to find a buyer willing to pay seven million for it. We decided we'd prefer a cosier penthouse apartment instead. We found a perfect one in Orchard Road. Once we move in to our apartment, we plan to get rid of the maid, so we can have more space to ourselves..."

The old woman nodded knowingly.

Bee Choo swallowed hard. "We'd get someone to come in to do the housework and we can eat out - but once the maid is gone, there won't be anyone to look after you. You will be awfully lonely at home and besides that, the apartment is rather small. There won't be space. We thought about it for a long time, and we decided the best thing for you is if you moved to a home. There's one near Hougang, it's a Christian home, a very nice one."

The old woman did not raise an eyebrow.

"I've been there, the matron is willing to take you in. It's beautiful with gardens and lots of old people to keep you company! I hardly have time for you, you'd be happier there. You'd be happier there, really." Her daughter repeated as if to affirm herself.

This time, the old woman had no plastic bag of food offerings to cling tightly to; she bit her lip and fastened her seat belt, as if it would protect her from a daughter who did not want her anymore. She sunk deep into the leather seat, letting her shoulders sag, and her fingers traced the white seat.

"Ma?" her daughter asked, searching the rear view mirror for her mother. "Is everything okay?"

What had to be done, had to be done. "Yes," she said firmly, louder than she had intended. "If it will make you happy," she added more quietly.

"It's for you Ma! You'll be happier there. You can move there tomorrow. I already got the maid to pack your things," Elaine said triumphantly, mentally ticking yet another item off her agenda.

Elaine smiled widely; she felt liberated. Perhaps getting rid of her mother would make her happier. She had thought about it. It seemed the only hindrance in her pursuit of happiness. She was happy now.

She had everthing a modern woman ever wanted: money, status, career, love, power and now, freedom, without her mother and her old-fashioned ways to weigh her down - yes, she was free.

Her phone buzzed urgently; she picked it up and read the message, still beaming from ear to ear. "Stocks 10-per-cent increase!" Yes, things were definitely beginning to look up for her...

And while searching for the meaning of life in the luminance of her handphone screen, the old woman in the back seat became invisible, and she did not see the tears.

~END~

A sad story. This essay really reflects the ugliness of people in our society, the people who actually have the heart to abandon their parents, without considering the difficulties they face just to bring us up. I hope through this story, the message of being filial is brought across clearly to all. Let us all take up this responsibility and do our part for our parents! The love, care and concern they have for us over the years can never be replaced by money. Never. If you have not been spending time with your parents, start now. Show your love and care for them just by asking about their day and work. You will find it a whole new experience. Trust me.

@12:43 PM

(For those who are not too sure what's going on, please refer to the previous entry. =))

[continued]
The old woman had been praying for her daughter for 32 years. When her abdomen was round like a melon, she came to the temple and prayed that it was a son.

Then the time was ripe and the baby slipped out of her womb, bawling and adorable with fat thighs and pink cheeks, but unmistakably a girl.

Her husband had kicked and punched her for producing a useless baby who could not work or carry the family name.

Still, the woman returned to the temple with her new-born girl tied to her waist in a sarong and prayed that her daughter would grow up and have everything she ever wanted. Her husband left her and she prayed that her daughter would never have to depend on a man.

She prayed every day that her daughter would be a great woman, the woman that she, meek and uneducated, could never become. A woman with nengkan; the ability to do anything she set her mind to. A woman who commanded respect in the hearts of men. When she opened her mouth to speak, precious pearls would fall out and men would listen.

She will not be like me, the woman prayed as she watched her daughter grow up and drift away from her, speaking a language she scarcely understood. She watched her daughter transform from a quiet girl, to one who openly defied her, calling her laotu (old fashioned in Chinese). She wanted her mother to be "modern", a word so new there was no Chinese word for it.

Now her daughter was too clever for her and the old woman wondered why she had prayed like that. The gods had been faithful to her persistent prayer, but the wealth and success that poured forth so richly had buried the girl's roots and now she stood, faceless, with no identity, bound to the soil of her ancestors by only a string of origami banknotes.

Her daughter had forgotten her mother's values. Her wants were so ephemeral; that of a modern woman. Power, wealth, access to the best fashion boutiques, and yet her daughter had not found true happiness.

The old woman knew that you could find happiness with much less. When her daughter leaves the earth, everything she has will count for nothing. People would look to her legacy and say that she was a great woman, but she would be forgotten once the wind blows over, like the ashes of burnt paper convertibles and mansions.

The old woman wished she could go back and erase all her big hopes and prayers for her daughter; now she had only want: that her daughter be happy. She looked out of the temple gate. She saw her daughter speaking on the phone, her brow furrowed with anger and worry.

Being at the top is not good, the woman thought. There is only one way to go from there - down. The old woman carefully unfolded the plastic bag and spread out a packet of beehoon (rice vermicelli) in front of the altar.

Her daughter often mocked her for worshipping porcelain gods. How could she pray to them so faithfully and expect pieces of ceremic to fly to her aid? But her daughter had her own god too - idols of wealth, success and power that she was enslaved to and worshipped every day of her life. Every day was a quest for idols, and the idols she worshipped counted for nothing in eternity. All the wants her daughter had would slowly suck the life out of her, and leave her an empty soulless shell at the altar.

The old lady watched her joss stick. The dull heat had left a teetering grey stem that was on the danger of collapsing. Modern women nowadays, the old lady sighed in resignation, as she bowed to the east one final time to end her ritual. Modern women nowadays want so much that they lose their souls and wonder why they cannot find it.

Her joss stick disintegrated into a soft grey powder. She met her daughter outside the temple, the same look of worry and frustration was etched on her daughter's face. An empty expression, as if she was ploughing through the soil of her wants looking for the one thing that would sow the seeds of happiness.

~End of Part 2~
P.S There's Part 3 too. The essay is just toooo loooooooong!!! =)

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