Speak

Thursday, March 29, 2007

I'm heading to China for a roadtrip this Saturday, for about 2 weeks. We might stop over at Shanghai, probably. I'm quite excited because I've never travelled by train before!

Although I've heard horror tales of the sanitary situation of the public toilets in China, I think we shouldn't measure a country by the condition of their toilets. This isn't a fair basis for comparison because, obviously, with a population exceeding 1,250,000,000 (about 20% of the world population), there's inevitably too much shit and too little toilets, thus accounting for the teeming toilet bowls.

In any case, working non-stop for the past 3 months was really draining and tiring. I'm really looking forward to this long break, but I wish some things were small enough for me to stuff into the luggage to bring along though.

Pee.

writing at 11:31 PM

Thursday, March 22, 2007

I was relief teaching at ABC Primary School today, and I got called into the vice-principal's office. I don't know why, my stomach started churning, like some conditioned reflex from long ago. I've never had positive feelings about stepping into the vice-principal's or principal's office, for as long as I remember.

I saw her grim, unsmiling face, and I knew it can't be anything to rejoice about. Apparently, I was called into her office for letting the kids watch Looney Tunes in class. I wanted to say something, but bit back my sarcasm. Sarcasm don't get you very far in life, I learnt.

I believe that kids should roam free, not be caged up everyday and force-fed the hard way. After hours and hours of lessons, what's the harm in a few minutes of indulgence. They're only Primary 4! I wanted to tell her about my take on how kids should not be stifled but be allowed space to breathe. How ruling with a cane only presents a false front of order and discipline.

But of course, I didn't. I just nodded along with everything she said.

Sometimes, most times, it saves a lot of trouble and energy if you just went along with the flow, not against the current.

writing at 9:49 PM

Monday, March 12, 2007

Yesterday, a snake licked my ear and a mongoose nibbled my toe. Just one of the few perks of working at the Night Safari. And animals are far easier to tolerate than humans, ironically.

My mom says she hardly sees me anymore. We live together in the same house, yet I haven't talked to her in a week. When I come home from work she's asleep, and when she leaves for work in the morning I'm still in slumber. It's after being robbed of the chances to spend time with your family will you then realise how important they actually are in your life. And you realise nothing tastes better than home-cooked food.

Earning money is tough.

writing at 12:09 PM

Friday, March 02, 2007

The day of revelation has finally arrived, but oddly, I am void of all emotions. No anxiety breakouts, no excitement nor unease, no distress, no apprehension, no nothing.

Nothing of the escalating sense of foreboding I had prior to the release of the 'O' Level results either.

I begin to wonder if this is the human mind's natural way of self preservation, of preparing itself for the worstest of news. To desensitise itself so that any calamity becomes inconsequential, so that its sanity is guarded.

In many ways, A Levels was, by far the most long-winded and draining and difficult examination I had to sit through in my entire life of existence. It is, therefore, frustrating when people who didn't have to take it say things like "Oh you'll do fine, don't worry" because they don't know the process of preparing for it, and because, as we all know, good does not always beget good; studying for it doesn't necessarily mean you'll definitely do well.

But we'll soon find out. Come what may.

writing at 9:32 AM