Life in School
My life in school is full of ups and downs. We have both good and bad times.
Last week, I created a big mess at my homec lesson. We were cooking (for me, attempting to cook) a plate of spaghetti and it was fairly challenging as this was one of the first assignments I have been tasked to perform.
The recipe was very simple. I had to heat up some sauce, add some cheese and spices, cook the spaghetti and then serve it to the teacher for sampling. However, I poured in way too much sauce, causing the sauce to spill over the pot. I was frantic on seeing the mess I created and quickly borrowed a friend’s cloth to mop it. However, we had had a Design and Technology (D&T) lesson before Homec and the cloth still had some adhesives on it. Before my friend could stop me, cloth got stuck to the pot before I could do any cleaning and to make things worst, the cloth dropped into the pot while I was trying to pull the cloth away! I hurriedly fished the cloth out of the pot and added the cheese and other ingredients to continue the cooking. However, somehow, my hands uncontrollably poured half a bottle of chilli (instead of a sprinkle of pepper) into the pot.
I followed on by adding some salt, but my clumsy hands betrayed me once again and was done with it before realizing that it was sugar and not salt. I managed to cook the spaghetti well though. The dish managed to look aesthetically appealing.
At judgment time, I gingerly presented the dish in front of the teacher. When the teacher placed the food into her mouth, she immediately sped off for some big gulps of water before returning. I was both shocked and relieved when she still gave me some words of encouragement after that. I resolve to hone my spaghetti cooking skills from then on.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
My family
Family life in Singapore is said to be in horrible shape due to stress and pressure of daily work and especially, for those with school going children, the added pressure of the kids’ academic achievements. I used to think that my family was like that, and that my parents only care about the test and exam marks of my sister and myself. But a recent incident caused me to think that they were not as bad as it initially appeared.
This week, my parents, sister and I went for a jog. My father and I normally ran ahead. My mom and my sister would trial behind, walking in a leisurely pace. Somewhere in the middle of my jog, my father and I heard a blood-curdling cry that obviously belonged to my sister. My father, who normally struggles to keep up with me, sped off so fast that he left a cloud of smoke in his trail quite like the latest sports car depict in my favorite cartoon. A while later, I caught up with my father, panting like a mad bull. My sister had stepped on the boundary between the pavement and grass. Her weight must have pushed her leg deep into the gap in between. Judging from her loud moaning and ear-piercing screams, she must be either very sacred or in a lot of pain. My father surprised me by picking her up in a fireman lift and dashing off to the nearest hospital. My mother continued to soothe her with comforting words. I followed, feeling extremely guilty at not being able to contribute.
A good 3 hours, my sister emerged from the hospital treatment room with a bandage and was discharged. Thank goodness, it was only a twist that would heal in a couple of weeks.
We were all extremely relieved. When I looked at my parents faces, filled with anguish and worry, I resolve to do my best not to cause them any agony, academically or otherwise.
This week, my parents, sister and I went for a jog. My father and I normally ran ahead. My mom and my sister would trial behind, walking in a leisurely pace. Somewhere in the middle of my jog, my father and I heard a blood-curdling cry that obviously belonged to my sister. My father, who normally struggles to keep up with me, sped off so fast that he left a cloud of smoke in his trail quite like the latest sports car depict in my favorite cartoon. A while later, I caught up with my father, panting like a mad bull. My sister had stepped on the boundary between the pavement and grass. Her weight must have pushed her leg deep into the gap in between. Judging from her loud moaning and ear-piercing screams, she must be either very sacred or in a lot of pain. My father surprised me by picking her up in a fireman lift and dashing off to the nearest hospital. My mother continued to soothe her with comforting words. I followed, feeling extremely guilty at not being able to contribute.
A good 3 hours, my sister emerged from the hospital treatment room with a bandage and was discharged. Thank goodness, it was only a twist that would heal in a couple of weeks.
We were all extremely relieved. When I looked at my parents faces, filled with anguish and worry, I resolve to do my best not to cause them any agony, academically or otherwise.
Something unusual
Life moves on. People dash around, looking for opportunities to earn a profit. People busy striving to accomplish their tasks. Life often moves on at a phenomenal rate. Occasionally, something that stands out, make us stop in our tracks just to marvel at how unusual it is.
That day, I noticed a dog stealthily closing in on a small kitten with a sausage in its mouth. The dog is extremely huge, with muscles that looked as if they could tear apart the kitten with a single pull. Its teeth looked like huge knives and thick globs of saliva rained down on the floor beneath it. Suddenly, a cat that seemed to be the kitten’s mother sped in, mewing weakly. The dog growled ferociously, displaying an array of teeth. The adult cat did not back off. I was awed by its bravery because it was only slightly bigger than the kitten. Its hair stood up like rows of spikes and its eyes shone in a fierce and almost maniac manner. Wickedly sharp claws shot out of its paws. As it advanced, I noticed that it was so shinny it was basically a walking skeleton, but somehow looked so scary that I could detect signs of fear in the dog’s narrow eyes. But that disappeared momentarily and the dog charged forward. The cat fought like it was possessed, swinging its paws in deadly arcs, mauling the dog.
Eventually, the dog ran off with its tail between its legs. And, the cat walked off with the kitten. I felt so moved that I clapped my hands, sending a salute at the brave and noble mother cat.
That day, I noticed a dog stealthily closing in on a small kitten with a sausage in its mouth. The dog is extremely huge, with muscles that looked as if they could tear apart the kitten with a single pull. Its teeth looked like huge knives and thick globs of saliva rained down on the floor beneath it. Suddenly, a cat that seemed to be the kitten’s mother sped in, mewing weakly. The dog growled ferociously, displaying an array of teeth. The adult cat did not back off. I was awed by its bravery because it was only slightly bigger than the kitten. Its hair stood up like rows of spikes and its eyes shone in a fierce and almost maniac manner. Wickedly sharp claws shot out of its paws. As it advanced, I noticed that it was so shinny it was basically a walking skeleton, but somehow looked so scary that I could detect signs of fear in the dog’s narrow eyes. But that disappeared momentarily and the dog charged forward. The cat fought like it was possessed, swinging its paws in deadly arcs, mauling the dog.
Eventually, the dog ran off with its tail between its legs. And, the cat walked off with the kitten. I felt so moved that I clapped my hands, sending a salute at the brave and noble mother cat.
Time spent doing something I like
Different people like different things and have different interests. Without them, life would not be as full, life would be boring. Life would even be pointless for some. Interest can be anything ranging from playing tennis to a mother watching her child grow up. They give life a purpose, something for one to look forward to.
Dear reader, I am sure you have yours, as I have mine – reading.
I like reading because I can sneak away from the crushing pressure of life and run free for a short but intense while. It gives me a feeling of euphoria and other unique feelings which cannot be cloned in the form of ink and paper. When I open my book, I travel all around the world in my mind’s eye. I can soar freely and do elegant aerial dance in the air like a hawk. I can swim under water as a shark, I can virtually do anything. Reading sets me free.
Thus, I feel that reading can improve our quality of life by a quantum leap. If we appreciate and actively read, we can all live to the fullest.
Dear reader, I am sure you have yours, as I have mine – reading.
I like reading because I can sneak away from the crushing pressure of life and run free for a short but intense while. It gives me a feeling of euphoria and other unique feelings which cannot be cloned in the form of ink and paper. When I open my book, I travel all around the world in my mind’s eye. I can soar freely and do elegant aerial dance in the air like a hawk. I can swim under water as a shark, I can virtually do anything. Reading sets me free.
Thus, I feel that reading can improve our quality of life by a quantum leap. If we appreciate and actively read, we can all live to the fullest.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A problem I solve
Have you ever gotten lost and been forced to go home on foot ? Well I have experienced this before and I would not want to go through this again.
This afternoon, I was on a bus and accidentally fell asleep because I had a horrendous case of insomnia the night before. Thankfully, a thoughtful and compassionate fellow commuter jerked me awake. I only had two dollars on my concession card which was reduced to a meager 8 cents after the ride. My wallet was empty as I had lent my friend some money to buy his sister a birthday present. So, when I got off the bus, I got a huge shock when I found that I had overshot by a mammoth 20 stops. To add to the whammy, my mobile phone had gone completely flat. My legs turned to jelly and my heart was palpitating so fast that it felt as if it was vibrating.
I was desperate but painstakingly forced myself to calm down and think about a way out of this mess. Thinking back, it was a miracle I could pull back the curtain of anxiousness from my mind to let in an idea.
I would wait for a bus of the same number as the bus I had been taking from the opposite direction, then sprint like a demon (while watching the traffic of course) to cover as much ground as possible, the stop when I could not keep up and wait for the next bus with the same number to come. Many a times, I had to laboriously squint at where the bus drove and then follow as much as I could.
After 14 or so stops, I could find my way home unassisted. Still even with my ingenious idea and my taxing sprinting, it was 3 hours before I could plant my exhausted, panting, sweating and flustered self on the sofa. I have learnt that if you face a problem, relax and think of an escape route. You will not get anywhere by panicking.
This afternoon, I was on a bus and accidentally fell asleep because I had a horrendous case of insomnia the night before. Thankfully, a thoughtful and compassionate fellow commuter jerked me awake. I only had two dollars on my concession card which was reduced to a meager 8 cents after the ride. My wallet was empty as I had lent my friend some money to buy his sister a birthday present. So, when I got off the bus, I got a huge shock when I found that I had overshot by a mammoth 20 stops. To add to the whammy, my mobile phone had gone completely flat. My legs turned to jelly and my heart was palpitating so fast that it felt as if it was vibrating.
I was desperate but painstakingly forced myself to calm down and think about a way out of this mess. Thinking back, it was a miracle I could pull back the curtain of anxiousness from my mind to let in an idea.
I would wait for a bus of the same number as the bus I had been taking from the opposite direction, then sprint like a demon (while watching the traffic of course) to cover as much ground as possible, the stop when I could not keep up and wait for the next bus with the same number to come. Many a times, I had to laboriously squint at where the bus drove and then follow as much as I could.
After 14 or so stops, I could find my way home unassisted. Still even with my ingenious idea and my taxing sprinting, it was 3 hours before I could plant my exhausted, panting, sweating and flustered self on the sofa. I have learnt that if you face a problem, relax and think of an escape route. You will not get anywhere by panicking.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)