81 Hearts, One Family.

81 Hearts, One Family.

Finally I get the chance for this.

If you've been following my past few posts (and you should be doing so), you may notice that out of my pasts 6 posts, 4 were nobody-would-be-dumb-enough-to-follow list posts. Hey, this is stopping2think here! We've got reflective responsibilities! Thankfully, a perfect opportunity has come for me to be able to once again sit down in front of the computer screen, and type away as I try to recall those great memories left behind.

I've always wondered - Why did I join in the first place? It doesn't seem so long ago, when Madam Sau had this one extra form that nobody wanted, and exasperatingly thrust it to me, saying, "哎呀，你拿去啦!" I wasn't all that brave to speak up yet (Refer to What's My problem? post if you don't understand), and decided to fill in the form to save myself some trouble.

My not-so-enriching prefectorial experience in primary school was probably the thing that got me through, and I went to the interview at the music room in tanjong rhu campus. It was quite intimidating at first, seeing the Principal, teachers and a few councillors all at once.

One of the questions that was really significant was asked by Ms Yeo, which went "Why do you want to be a student councillor?" That one had me panicky for a moment. For the first time in my life I was about to screw up an importantly big question for an interview. The Miss Universe model answers were definitely out for me - I have my own principles.

So I fell back on what I always did most - Honesty. 1K pupils would know how I hated concerts and events organised by the school. Actually, to be honest, I think we all did. That made me think hard - How can I be able to organise such major events, if I didn't even like that one bit?

I made it a point then, to be as active as possible if I was accepted, for myself to truly understand the staggering amount of effort and pure sweat that each person has to contribute for events to run smoothly.

So far, I have never regretted submitting that form to Madam Sau; I should actually thank her. School just holds so much more meaning as a councillor, not because my tie's too tight, but you feel so much more at home, with a family of 80 other hearts.

In all the events I've taken part in, I've seen how close people slowly get when we all work hard together, providing support to each other in harsh times of need, and to laugh and joke together about the simplest things. It's those times when I really feel privileged to be able to call myself a councillor.

There are truly too many things that the Student Council has done for me, and I can never find enough time to list all of them out. But I do know that I will do my best to repay these gifts that are far beyond any material worth.

By the way, didn't I just say" list"?

Thank you SC, for...

Teaching me how to talk

Teaching me how to smile

Teaching me how to see

Teaching me how to hear

Teaching me friendship

Teaching me love

Teaching me courage

Teaching me patience

Teaching me responsibility

Taking away my fear

Taking away the cynic in me

Taking away my troubles

Taking away my sadness

Giving me friends

Giving me life

Giving me tears

Giving me fun

Giving me support

Giving me reason

Giving me joy

Giving me fun

Giving me hope

Thank you,

For teaching me.

TO BE DONE

pleeeeeeeeeaaaase wait for me. will post asap once i figure out how 5 tests a week are meant to be handled.

Where's the love?

Where's the love?
UPDATED 15.2 AT BOTTOM

It's Febuary 14th, friendship/valentine's day. The day when people are able to have that excuse to give that person a few tables away a little gift, although you're too shy to leave your name. When you can confess your heartfelt love friendship to the people close to you. I went to school, perhaps in a slightly better mood than usual.

Then I waited. And waited. And waited. End of day nearing, and not a single gift. None. Nada. Zip. Zero. x, where x =/= anything but 0.

And the day was over. Is it really the truth? Am I such a social outcast? So unloved? Not even worth a tiny bit of the 20-in-1 packets of chocolates? Ah, it's depressing. To learn that you just cut the line between friendship an anonimity. It's the day where love was supposed to be the main thing in the air other than greenhouse gases, and all you feel is the envy of those that haul their presents home in large plastic bags.

And I'm definitely not the only one. It's good to have to feeling of community, that there are others who share in your sorrow, and seek to find asylum from such a sad fate. Never fear, stopping2think is here! Yes, yet another stupid list that helps nobody except maybe a few laughs.


10 Ways to get that love you need. Hook or by crook.

1. "Accidentally" spam your friends with gift requests directed at someone else. Apologise for the mistake. Hint.

2. Busk at the MRT underpass.

3. Go home crying and attempt suicide. Somebody's gotta visit you at the hospital right?

4. Do what Singaporeans do best - Complain, complain, complain, until something happens.

5. Organise outings with those who didn't receive gifts either. Angel and Mortal game included.

6. Do it the 2K boys' way - kup, kup, kup.

7. Spend your night weeping away with K/J dramas

8. Buy a mountain of chocolates and eat them all at once. Get yourself in hospital for that. Refer to 3 for explanation.

9. Dedicate a few songs for yourself, signing off as "anon" or "your secret admirer". Be sure to be in the canteen when its playing.

And the most desperate, effective, thick-skinned way to get that love?

10. Hang a sign saying "Free hugs!"

11. Make a shameless blogpost to declare how sad you are. Proceed similiarly to 1.



P.S. for those who are feeling guilty already, my classroom is at Container Block B, and my table is right beside the pen sticking in the wall. No joke.

Surviving Chinese New Year.

Surviving Chinese New Year.

Thanks for all the concern that you guys have shown through the simple tags made =D. Yes, my mother is fine and has returned this morning, and I'm finally able to breathe without half-choking myself to death. Life is good.

I am aware that it's Chinese New Year Eve, and I'm supposed to be preparing the dinner for tonight or visiting relatives (ZOMGWHYAREYOUBLOGGINGAHANO00OOB), but it doesn't feel right leaving the post on top of my blog as something that's was posted when I was feeling down. I'm thoughtful that way.

Thus, a new post is needed to usher in the New Year cheer, and what better to do that than yet another stupid, useless list that people read but don't follow?

In less than 10 hours, most of us are going to be having a reunion dinner, talking with our Here's stopping2think presenting to you the official Tips to Survive Chinese New Year! This time with elaborations and explanations. Results are neither guaranteed nor likely to show.


Problem 1:
Irritating visitors.

Tomorrow will be the first day of Chinese New Year, meaning that there'll be many visitors coming into your house for a "short visit". Most of them you haven't seen in, my goodness, exactly one year. Wonder what brought them here the last time?

There're bound to be some who will stay for hours on end uninvited, and you'll have to plaster on the most convincing smile you can possibly fake, listening for the fifth year in a row how he had almost struck Toto 3 decades ago, when "Fit-ty cent was alot o' money." There's bound to be a way to get them to leave so you can play with your baby cousin who just came, right?

Solution:
Purchase a bag of the cheapest snack you can possibly afford. When you greet the relative, offer him the bag of snack and start making conversation. Pretend that you're shocked at how "dirty" you have gotten your hands when your smile is starting to cramp your face. Immediately apologise, and quickly drag your nearby sibling to listen to him continue on how he got a Persian monk to pick his 3rd number, and make sure "He tells you the whole thing afterwards". Walk away, smug that its your siblings turn to suffer now.

Problem 2:
Missing the mood

There are times when you just feel like staying at home without having to go to see people you don't know and wish them a Happy Chinese New Year. What's so happy about this occasion? The only good thing that you get out of it is a school holiday. There's nothing so special about Chinese New Year after all.

It's hard to get into the CNY mood sometimes, but there are ways to make sure you feel the happiness of wearing red and singing those songs you knew from young.

Solution(s):
There are a multitude of ways to solve this. It ranges from replacing your playlist on your iPods to a neverending repeat of "恭喜恭喜", to dreaming about what to do with your Ang Pao money to get yourself some motivation to go greet relatives. But there's one surefire favourite that I reccomend. It may seem a scary thought, and I don't fancy trying it myself - Visit Chinatown this CNY Eve. If squeezing through throngs of people trying to get that 50% off Hae Bee Hiam doesn't hammer it into your head that Chinese New Year is here, nothing will.

Problem 3:
Ang Pao losses

Every Chinese New Year, you count the amount of money recieved and ask your parents how much they gave this year through red packets. Usually, you find that the amount of money that goes out of your pockets are significantly more than the amount you have collected. Not very profitable is it?

Is there a surefire way that you could still be giving out red packets generously like Santa Claus without a beard but still decked in red? Or are we doomed to forever counting losses and having more red numbers in our personal accounts?

Solution:
This solution is only for those that run family businesses. Print yourself a stack of $5 vouchers and put them in your red packets instead of money. There will be only 2 outcomes - 1. They are disgusted at your cheapskate methods (Don't tell them who taught you this) and never want to see you again 2. They actually decide to come spend the money, and probably will end up paying more than $5. For those that are especially thick skinned, feel free to make sure there's an expiry date.

Problem 4:
Sore throats

Possibly the worst thing that anyone can have during Chinese New Year would be the (dare I say it?) sore throat. After a waiting a long year to finally taste that pineapple tart again, God seems to have a sudden urge for humour, and guess who's on the other end of the joke?

It's almost like taking the presents away from Christmas, or Mr Ken away from LA lessons. But yet there should be a way to be able to feast on these sinful CNY goodies (or baddies, since they do more harm than poison can, being so addictive). Is there...?

Solution:
Tupperwares are your friend. Bring one or two empty ones everywhere you go during visiting, and conveniently put your bag on your lap. Search around for a mirror in your bag, and act dismayed as you "left it at home". Politely ask your host for one, as as she panics to find something instead of the cracked one she always uses, take a few goodies from the table. Act natural and thank her nicely as she finally finds a presentable mirror. Rinse, repeat, and prepare to get an MC for 2 weeks after you feast on your stale collection.

No, there isn't a surefire way to solve this one =/


Don't ask why there're only 4 problems here. I'm kind of uninspired at the moment, but will update if I faced any problems that make it into this list. Till then, Happy Chinese New Year, and use at your own risk.

What My Chinese New Year Lacks.

What My Chinese New Year Lacks.

I haven't really told anyone from school, but my mother has been hospitalised for a week. She had some complications from her last operation and her small intestine was affected somehow, and so for the past few days I've been living under the care of my aunties' and grandparents' care, who are conviniently and thankfully living just next door.

She was admitted last Sunday/Monday midnight, and I was stupidly sleeping through the whole time even when the ambulance came. Amazingly I had not heard a single thing and didn't know anything was wrong till I was woken up at the usual time of 6am by my aunty. I was a little moody the rest of the day, but tried not to let it get to me, since it being a Monday was bad enough.

I was hoping to be able to find time to visit her on Tuesday, and that plan couldn't have gone any worse. Sometime on Monday/Tuesday midnight, I woke up and discovered my temperature was practically burning. There goes my visit.

I tried to ignore it and only gave up when I put on my tie. The difference in comfort that piece of cloth wrapped around a neck was shocking. I fell back to sleep almost immediately and saw a doctor late in the morning. The rest of the day was dull, uncomfortable and basically just plain boring.

Thankfully, I was able to recover by the next day, and was well enough to go to school, albeit a little groggy. Still, it beat having to stay at home and worry about schoolwork - Somehow you feel the stress of school even more when you're at home.

However, I still had no chance to meet my mother, and was pretty busy till Saturday. It was then I had discovered I had been living without her for one whole week, and that I really... missed her. Also, that was the day when she would have her minor operation, and would probably be my last chance to see her before she undergoes that operation.

For some painfully annoying reason I was sick yet again, but this time I dragged myself to the hospital to finally meet her after 6 long days. I felt so much better just being able to see her, and talked for a very long time, a few hours on end. It really is weird thinking about who was the one who needed the visit more - Her or me?

I poured out the troubles I had for the past few days, and the worries for the next week. She answered them in the same warm, comforting way she always had - "Don't worry." "Just try your best!"

Her operation went well, but now the only thing I'm worried about is whether she'll be able to come back for Chinese New Year. Hopefully she'll be fine by then, and we can eat a reunion dinner without having to take turns to talk on the phone. That, and I'll pass the common test tomorrow.