Tuesday, January 29, 2008
During GP lesson, just as it ended, my teacher pulled at the ohp screen to send it recoiling back. The class clock wasn't hanging as per normal on the wall, but was balancing on top of the white board. So, when she let go of the screen, it whipped back up to its place.
Then there resounded a loud crash, and everyone suddenly looked over, some even gasped. Because the clock had been knocked off its position and dropped to the floor. The glass front of the clock shattered on the concrete, and then I suppose at that moment time stopped.
Thank God my teacher had immediately walked towards some student in the front row at the right who was asking a question. Hence, she wasn't hit by the falling clock, nor hurt by the broken glass.
After it was cleaned up and all, she said that life is precious. Which is a very important truth, I think.
Today's Daily Bread posed the question of what people will say about you during your funeral for an eulogy.
Have you done anything people will remember you for? Have you lived your life to the fullest, according to principles that you are proud to say you followed? Can you leave with any certainty of what is to come after death?
Living each day as if it is your last doesn't mean that you break whatever rules you want or do anything you please. I think it probably has something to do with making each day meaningful and carrying out actions and choices that you will not be ashamed of.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
TNT had our first ever performance yesterday 18th January at Soundtracked @ LT5.
We actually had choir first, then we had to rush down for the soundcheck at about 6.20, then we came back up, and Ms Lim let us off early so that those who wanted to watch Soundtracked could go.
Well, from the feedback from people who listened, we were okay, but I think they could only hear the solos, because the solo mike was a lot louder than everyone else.
Nobody's Home was quite passable, but somewhere in the middle of Cry it sounded strange.
I think in all the preparation, we were quite comfortable with the songs and stuff, just that we needed to learn to sing together and feel it more. And also of course, it's better without mikes.
We went for dinner at KAP again. I'm getting a little sick of that place. Xiang, Eugenia, Sheena and I were in Chye Keong's car, CJ went on Hua Cheng's bike, and some others went in Prashanth's car. Then Conan, YongJ, Xuemin, Amanda, Jaymie, Xiao Yun, Pei Cheng etc came by bus.
Dinner was very funny, because I was sitting across Prashanth, who was telling us about all the funny people he meets in the army who are Pes E. Anxiety disorder, sleeping disorder etc.
I think these few days of having dinner with choir and practicing acapella makes me re-realise how much I love the choir people.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
So, TNT is busy practicing for the Soundtracked Concert for charity that we're performing in. Labels: acapella
We keep going sharp, and different people go sharp at varying degrees and times. Except Conan, who has managed to be the flattest.
After the soundcheck today, which wasn't much better, because we can't really hear each other, we went down to the piano to sing some more!
At one point, we practiced Cry, going so fast that Lingchung reminded us it's an emo song! Then we spiralled off into this crazy high rendition complete with clapping and crowd cheering. And then Xuemin and Eugenia were laughing like mad.
Heh. Later, we were walking from the canteen to the carpark, and Sheena was calling her mum to fetch us. Her mum said something about how heavily it was raining.
Sheena: Huh? Raining? It's not raining...
Half the other people: It's raining!
Yes. It started raining. Then began this mad rush for umbrellas.
CJ, Sixuan, LC, Eug: I got umbrella! *looking for umbrella* Who needs umbrella?
LC: Eh, I can't find my umbrella!
Sixuan: I don't want to share with Conan! He's too tall! *shares with Sheena*
Conan: Yeah, tall people share! *shares with CJ*
*LC gives up and shares with XM*
*Eugenia chiongs to her mum's car*
Silly XM and LC didn't get into Eugenia's car. Haiz. So XM called her dad to come fetch them, and Sheena's mum fetched me home.
Monday, January 14, 2008
I had a dream recently.
I dreamt that my friend died.
And it felt like a sequel dream, as if the friend had died in the previous episode, and this was the horrible aftermath.
It was as if at some points, the friend was there, and at other times the friend was inescapably gone.
I woke up crying.
It didn't even occur to me until hours later, that the friend wasn't a Christian.
Which in no uncertain terms meant that if the dream was real, my friend would be "burning in hell" at that moment.
Perhaps this kind of dream is supposed to wake you up to a reality.
The Xuan
Monday, January 7, 2008
I think I'm finally getting the hang of school. Labels: acapella, dbsg, school
Of course, there's only been some 4 schooling days, but it already feels like forever.
What's happening:
Biology - DNA Cloning. Plasmids with sticky ends! Ligase = Glue!
Chemistry - Ionic Equilibrium II + Arenes. Precipitate = PPT = Powerpoint
Mathematics - I HATE VECTORS. H3 lessons are also starting to sound scary.
Literature - I can't buy Heart of Darkness. Photocopy Aunty won't photocopy my Duchess of Malfi.
And, coincidentally, He Jun is taking NTU Numbers and Matrices as well! How surprising. I suppose all the NJC, HCI, RJC and ACJC students are coming to my school for that course. Considering how the other centre is halfway across the island at TJC, it's to be expected.
Failed acapella practice today. Stupid Conana went home today! And then Xuemin only got released at about 4, and I had to leave at 4.30, so that was a flop. Totally out of tune. What are we going to do about Talentime?? Lingchung says he'll probably join the guys, which includes Conana and YongJ. Die already.
In a totally unrelated way, I'm still obsessed with DBSK. I need more of their music. Fortunately, kind Rongrong says she might burn a cd of her DBSK songs for me! JOY!
The Xuan
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
And we're back in school! Labels: acapella, choir, school
It was awesome to be able to see all my friends again after such a long break, I almost forgot what they look like. :P
We received our new timetables, and I'm in a new GP class, along with Kai Xin, Rachel, Xin Yuan, Wan Ting, Sarah and Terence, taught by Ms Willa Chen.
Our H1 Lit class with Mr Whitby now has 2 mainstream students and Joanna and Maricelle have shifted to another class. =(
Bio class seems to have swopped one third of the people on each side. In fact, when I saw the other class having lessons before ours, I thought I was already late for it.
Math is roughly the same class, and we still have Mr Lum (yay), but I'm quite confused as to the shift between the other classes. For example, Kai Xin, Rachel, Sheryl and Wan Ting are in the same class. Which doesn't really make much sense to me.
Then for CAAL, after Mrs Tan talked about CIP and Mr Neo on the KM profiling system, Mr Teck (?) came on to speak about SPA and H3 matters. Apparently we still got about 3 more spa sessions for each science.
And my first H3 introductory lesson thingy is next Monday. My lessons, fortunately, are on Mondays and Thursdays, which means they won't clash with choir practice, unless we have whatever extra practices.
Speaking of choir, we had a comm meeting to discuss Jap Games actions, then acapella practice. Cry went better than I expected, but Way Back Into Love was disastrous. Hmph.
All the teachers either mentioned A Levels or "the rest of the year" or "graduating batch". This served to remind me that, simply speaking, it's never going to get easier.
Think about it. After Pri School, then Sec School is worse, then JC is even worse, Uni is going to be much tougher, and then holding on to a job and performing well is going to be excruciatingly hard.
Whatever small respite you may have, after a major exam or something, doesn't mean it'll stay this nice forever. It's going to be worse. And I have to be prepared for it.
The Xuan
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Finally, 2008 is about to start.
Every time the year ends and the next begins, I always can't believe I'm going up another step in the academic ladder. Plus, it's just weird imagining how I'm turning 18 this year.
18 is like this level that you reach after 16. You can legally purchase alcohol, watch M18 movies, learn to drive, etc. And I'm jolly sure I don't feel ready to be 18.
Worse, this is the A level year, which means I have to really sit down and study non-stop. Which is why my parents are moving my laptop to their room, so I have to go there whenever I want to use my laptop.
In other words, say goodbye to youtube, fanfiction, facebook, crunchyroll, loud music playing, basically anything that doesn't contribute to A levels. This includes blogging.
I don't feel prepared for school. I hate having to be serious about it. I can't even remember what most of the school looks like. Except the canteen, choir store and ava, of course.
Goodbye, my laptop. I shall miss you so.
Xuan
Watchnight Service - Countdown with a Difference 2007-2008 @ PLMGPS Hall! Labels: church
I got a haircut today. Even though it can still be tied in a ponytail, I felt almost bald after the lady hairdresser cut out so much.
So, I was actually late for the rehearsal, but then, to my surprise, only Marcus and Si Kai were there. The rest of them, including Michelle Foo, Elaine, Joanna, Selena, Nat, Daniel etc. followed later, bearing decorations for the hall.
Jo, Josh and I were shredding newspaper for the confetti in the big balloon, and it was really mindless work. Josh said that's how office work is going to be next time. How dreadful.
After that, more and more people started coming, some just sitting down, while others were helping with the decorations, or rehearsing their performances. Yingxuan was the chinese MC!!! I'm so proud of her.
Then when everyone was told to go down for the reception food, then we had to stay up there and pray. It was then we had to decide whether to have the mime onstage or offstage, lighting and visibility being the factors. This prevented me from playing my bridge game with Rachel Ng, Yihui and Ian.
When the actual thing started, we were initially sitting with the young people on the floor (I got to see Melissa Deng after so long), then Emily suggested that we move to the side, where performers were to wait their turn.
The band was good, and the sound system was overpowering! Emily and Josh noted that the older people looked rather stoned, while the youth were screaming and cheering.
After the band, the pastoral team and full time workers put on a line-dancing show! I must say that Rev Leow was really good! Pity Rev Chong wasn't in it!
When it came to our turn, we finally decided to do it onstage. The 3 CJMYF people are so nice! He Jun told me to smile, because he said I was very nervous, which was true, and Si Kai was nodding violently. Shi Min looked so concerned every time I coughed or something!
I believe that the audience enjoyed our mime, even my scared shaky singing, and I think Aunty Furng said something about it being powerful. Marcus and Joshua are really the best.
Then there were 3 testimonies by Anthia, Yihui and this MM kid called Yong Qiang, whose testimony went as far back as his P6 life! The MM instrumental was written totally by one of their members, and it was great!
The worship after that was good too, and the atmosphere when it was about 11.58 or so was really...wow. Then we all counted down from 30 seconds, and the last 10 counts were super excited and jubilant.
At ZERO, everyone cheered, popped their party poppers, burst the huge balloon, blew their loud contraptions, and went around hugging and shaking hands.
The funniest was when the band was playing Dare You to Move, and Paul's Sunday School students all came up to hug him while he was singing. And Hongyu proceeded to try shake hands with all the band members.
After the rejoicing, we had this Love Feast, which was some simple water and bread among everybody, as we thanked the Lord for His providence and everything He has blessed us with in the last year.
Finally, it ended with a final prayer by Rev Chong, and then we had to clean up the confetti on the floor. People were putting the rubbish in hats, plastic bags, picking up with hands, sweeping with cardboard, etc.
As 2007 draws to a close, I want to thank God for everything He has blessed me with this year, in school, choir, and especially church.
Thank You God,
Xuan
Thanks to all the blogs i referred to (countless) for html code help :) (esp. cyn' and sixseven)
Adobe Photoshop Elements for supernatural abilities
