Fool's April

All right! Today was an awesome day! Pulling pranks, playing OM, and generally having lots of fun. Let's go!

K, first off, the national anthem got interrupted by the opening African chant from Circle of Life. Quite interesting, but it would have been better (i.e. less illegal) to put it before the anthem, which can be explained away as the wrong track on the disk. The anthem is too sacred to interrupt.

Oh yeah, "someone" reported today that we're probably not getting funding for our FPS trip to the US, which means it comes up to around 4K each. I found it kinda... irritating? that during her telling us that we're not going to get funding, you could practically feed off the economic-ness of her speech (not that you'd want to, of course). Basically, the whole idea is that we're not getting funded because they only go for "niche markets" and that we were a "one-shot deal" with "high risk and minimal returns". I hate economics.

K, next! Yesterday I made a mock up of a summons and this morning, fined the Buggy in the parade square. XD It was fined for speeding (XD) and not having a liscence plate. In the middle of the day it got blown away by the wind, I think, so I put up another copy.

Also! Professor Dan O. Saur was in school today teaching archaeology. The Physics teacher was waiting outside when he came out of the class, apologising profusely for taking up her time, before hurriedly packing up and leaving. Later, I returned in normal school uniform, saying that I had a stomachache. Bird Hand Bird Bird Bush!

OM! Completely awesome! Played Two-Line Vocabulary and Questions, and it was HILARIOUS! Should I use my gun?

Happy April Fool's Day!
The Edna Man

OM Again!

Wow. I never thought coaching primary school girls for OM would be so fun.

I've been doing it for two weeks so far, on Tuesdays and Fridays and Wednesdays, and it's awesome fun.

I gotta say though. It's very exhausting. There's like twenty or more girls and most of them are all so hyperly-active I wouldn't be surprised if they bled chocolate sauce. And the screaming. Man, that hurts badly. Like all they can do is scream. Most of the time, anyway.

But aside from that, these girls are pretty awesome! They've got lots of creative ideas, and it's immense fun playing Whose Line? games with them. We've done Props (a favourite), Emotions, News Reporter, Helping Hands (the most favourite of them all), Party Quirks, Sitting, Standing, Lying Down, and a lot more but I think I forget. IT'S SUPER FUN. It's one of the things that I'm looking forward each week now.

Oh yeah, I think one of the most creative ideas: We were playing props, and the scene was that some people were moving house and the rest of them had to be objects. We prevented them from being ordinary stuff like tables, chairs, etc. One group of four turned out to be a FAMILY PORTRAIT! That was the most astoundingly creative idea of all so far I think.

Well, can't wait for the next coaching session. FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN

By the way, all you sick dirty people. THERE IS NO INNUENDO HERE.
The Edna Man

Life After People

I just watched the above show on the History Channel. I think it's awesome, both the channel and the programme. THC can definitely rival the Discovery Channel and give it a run for its money.

Back to the programme. It seems so... demoralizing? That the traces of our civilization will only last another thousand years at best, if we are completely wiped off the face of the earth at this point in time. Nothing we made today can stand the test of time. It's so ironic that the ancient Egyptian writings, carved into stone and clay, will outlast and have outlasted our CDs and paper. It really puts things into perspective: we're nothing really, compared to time. Nothing.

Oh yeah, another thing. Went up the mountain cemetary again today. For the last time. I've been going like, ever since I was 7. Or 12, I can't remember. Anyway, for the past 5 or 10 years I've been climbing up that hill and paying respect to Chinese traditions and my long-gone great-grandfather and now they're going to exhume the corpses and move them all away so they can build something else. I'm not really happy nor sad, but well. It's different.

Everything changes.
The Edna Man

Even if you don't love me anymore

I got the call today,
That I didn’t wanna’ hear
But I knew that it would come
Old true friend of ours
Was talking on the phone
She said you found someone
And I thought of all the bad luck,
And struggles we went through
How I lost me and you lost you
What are these voices outside love's open door
Make us throw of our contentment
And beg for something more?

I’m learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
And the more I know, less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I’m learning again
I’ve been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think its about
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don’t love me anymore

All these times are so uncertain
Though the yearning undefined
And then people filled with rage
We all need a little tenderness
How can love survive
In such a graceless age?
The trust and self-assurance that leads to happiness
They're the very things we kill, I guess
Our pride and competition
Cannot fill these empty arms
And the work I put between us
You know it doesn’t keep me warm

I’m learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
And the more I know, less I understand
All the things I thought I figured out
I have to learn again
I’ve been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
But everything changes
And my friends seem to scatter
But I think its about
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don’t love me anymore

There are people in your life, who’ve come and gone
They let you down, you know they hurt your pride
You better put it all behind you; ‘coz life goes on
You keep carrying that anger, it will eat you up inside

I’ve been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think its about
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don’t love me...

I’ve been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
Because the flesh will get weak
And the ashes will scatter
So I’m thinking about
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don’t love me...

Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Forgiveness

Even if you don’t love me anymore.

--The Heart of the Matter, The Eagles.

Cam-pains

"It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well."

--Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Improv Everywhere!

Hey, JC just directed me to this site: http://improveverywhere.com/

These people are totally awesome. I mean, they've got something going! They create scenes, just to add some fun into people's lives. I mean, they got 200 people to freeze for five minutes in New York's Grand Central station! THAT WAS SO AWESOME!

I feel like following in their footsteps. It sure'll make life more interesting.

Spontaneously,
The Edna Man

Sixteen Going On Seventeen

Hey! I'm seventeen! My birthday was quite AWESOME. I can't remember having this much fun in two and a half months.

Kk, first things first. Went to watch The Spiderwick Chronicles at Cineleisure. It was quite awesome, but not of epic quality. I so definitely want to read the book now. We were supposed to watch at 1pm, and meet for lunch at 12pm. But apparently everyone was late, so we had lunch after. Oh yeah, I called Dneo like, five times at 11 to wake him up, and each time he kept hanging up on me. And eventually he woke up at 12:10pm only. And Boey Yang allegedly overslept, and missed the movie 'cos he "had to have lunch" first.

Kk, so after that, we went to Taka to have lunch. Herr kept koping my noodles. Then he went to buy his own. Pfft. XD Oh yeah, Mrs Hah called me up to check if I can help her and her OM team with Spontaneous. I think it's going to be quite fun, but I don't know if my humour is too old for them to understand.

After that: FLYER! WHOOOOOO IT WAS AWESOME!

Okay, first, while we were walking there from City Hall MRT, we saw this plane flying towards it. We were all immediately like, OMG MAS SELEMAT. But it made a turn and swerved off in another direction. It would have been so cool if I managed to catch a picture of that.

K then, FLYER! Wow, the view from up there is so amazing. You could see Indonesia. You could see EVERYTHING. Man, being right at the top, 150 metres in the sky, that was awesome. It's like being at the top of the world! And Dneo's scared of heights. Like, how can someone so awesome be scared of heights? Well anyway, I got like a ton of pics, but my battery ran out around halfway. Oh yeah, near the end, Zhang and Darrell started doing those -__- NeoPrint girl pose things. Ewwww. And then Louis and Zhang did the M18 version XD Oh yeah there was this couple who got married in the next capsule, I think. I was wondering what they do for the full half hour or so inside. The priest gives a long speech, and then at the top they say "I do!" And then, for the rest of the time, they just sit around, going "Now what?" Oh yeah, they took our photo on the ground in front of a green screen, then edited the sky in so it looks like we were on the flyer XD Oh, Louis, Jason and Zhang got me a Singapore Flyer cap! So awesome =D

Okay after Flyer, had to take a 75 all the way to Rail Mall to get to Lorraine's house. I was with Jason, and I was so scared that the bus would like, overshoot or not go the right way or something, 'cos it was over an hour and we still hadn't reached. Well, finally I managed to get there, and I didn't get lost! Oh yeah, I saw this fruit-bat thing climbing a tree. I tried to take a picture but the flash only got its reflective eye. Still, it looks quite creepy.

Class party! I arrived pretending to be lost XD I managed to get a picture of Arun stripping during Strip Poker! And Lorraine's house is super-far away from the nearest food. Chocolate sauce can only make things better! And omg Jarrel's mom makes awesome cakes!

Then I got home at about 11 and had another family cake XD Woah too much chocolate XD

All in all, a wonderful birthday, I think. Go read Herrick's blog to hear what he has to say about reunions and "It's the people you bring on it that counts" or whatever he said. There there, Herrick, you'll be alright. *pats*

Oh yeah, presents! I got a puzzle message-thing from Kwong, which I haven't had time to put together yet; Boey got me the Teen Titans comic I was looking for when I was looking for his present, haha! Oh yeah, and the super-awesome cap from the Flyer from Jason, Louis and Zhang. Darrell Neo and Herrick are supposed to get me a set of rechargable batteries with charger. XD And I think my classmates are giving me stuff too, but on Monday, 'cos they didn't expect me at the party. XD

FIVE HUNDRED TWENTYFIVE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED MINUTES
The Edna Man

Walking at 30+ kmph

Whee! Yesterday I walked the distance of an MRT train, from nose to tail. It was quite cool! I tried searching Wikipedia for the speed of our MRTs but I couldn't find it anywhere. But man! How often do you get to walk at speeds of (estimated) 30+ kilometres per hour!

Boey's party yesterday. I really hope he liked my present... I think I spent about four hours alone just searching for the material components. Did you know that those photo album sold at that fancy book place at Taka cost like, $30? That's enough for a trip on the Flyer. I couldn't afford it, so in the end I just used some card and string and bound the whole thing together.

Darrell got dunked in the pool! Haha, that was funny XD He was dripping all over the floor. And the joy of Munchkin has been spread all around!

Hmm, again I didn't get much to eat XD BUt I guess it's okay lah. Oh yeah, Bryan Ong shoved me out of a taxi carpool even though he was the last one to join. I didn't want to keep the taxi driver waiting so I decided to leave and take the MRT instead. Meh. I'd have gotten home like, abour 40 mins earlier. At least he apologised. I'd say more, but well, it won't be good.

Hmm. Juzzie commented that I rebel against the system "when it's most convenient for you". Or something like that. But well, I'm not sure if that's true or not; I mean, standing in the rain because I think the system is flawed isn't really convenient for me; neither is giving my seat up on a taxi to take an extra 40+ minutes to go home. And then you come back to the argument on consciousness, and whether these examples are just elaborate explanations given by a self-preserving subconsciousness to make it seem like I'm doing the right thing while actually being an excuse to cover up the hideous heresy this particular personage is criminally committing. Argh, alliteration overload.

WELL. Birthday in TWENTYFOUR HOURS. WHEEEEEEEE~!

Almost Had You

I was in Takashimaya today hunting for a present component for Boey and I went down to Kino to see if they had any Teen Titans comics. I FOUND ONE AT ONLY $13. I had a budget, so I decided to come back down later after I checked Borders and Popular. When I came back, defeated, THE COMIC WAS GONE T_T

I have no idea whether my present is going to make Boey more emo.

It's like, only been two months, and I can't contact anyone anymore. Each person I called today never picked up. Until like, much much later. Makes you realize: you've got to start doing things by yourself. Which is why I'm bringing my camera around from now on.

CASH makes the world go round: Creativity, Action, and Service Hours
The Edna Man

Transcendentalism

Do you believe that there's something more powerful about the human spirit which allows it to go beyond convention and change the world? I do. I feel it is so possible, I'm actually trying to do it. There's probably some argument that all our flaws makes us human and if we're perfect we're not human, etc. Maybe it's time to redefine the definition of "human". I'm not saying we become gods; I'm just saying that we, as a collective human race, can be more, so much more, than what we are now.

There's something about transcending the basic human purpose of survival. There's something about not caring about life to such an extent that you're willing to sacrifice your health and welfare for something you believe in. (Something good, of course. Not like terrorism or anything.) There's something about detaching yourself from this material world so much that nothing matters anymore, and you don't feel anything; pain, pleasure, sadness, joy, nothing.

Going beyond,
The Edna Man

Unconnected

The reason why we can't have free press is because the readers of said press aren't mature enough for it yet.

I think I'm too nice for my own good.

I want to stop caring but it's not working.

No sided love is hatred, one sided love is obsession.
Two sided love is friendship, three sided love is depression.

The break is a lie.

Have no sympathy for the weak
Show no mercy for the wounded
Weep no tears for the dead
Grant no redemption for the damned
For this is our world
And our fate.

It kinda says something if you can't go to your own birthday party.
The Edna Man

Shocking!

I have experienced a Van der Graff generator. My life is now complete.

In related news, Mr. Bernard Taylor is AWESOME.

In other news, Jarrel Seah is AWESOME. And DAMN FREAKY. Uh. AWESOMELY DAMN FREAKY.

I hope the terrorist guy gets caught soon so I can Singapore Flyer with peace of mind.

Grounded!
The Edna Man

Pointless

Judging by the posts and comments of other people on their blogs and my clickybox, it didn't really matter standing in the rain in the honour of ceremony.

So what good fight are you fighting if the people don't need you to?

The opposite of war isn't peace; it's creation
The Edna Man

Rain on my Parade

I think it's time to really stop depending on other people. Thanks to the power of self-interest, you can't expect anyone to follow you, to go against the grain by your side. Each and every individual is isolated, persuing his or her own goals, dreams, objectives. Survival demands it. Survival requires it.

Rain washed out the 122nd Founder's Day parade today. Except that the Guest of Honour was over half an hour late, in the rain, which meant that the UYO squads had to freeze in the rain. And there was no wet-weather contingency, no Plan-B, nothing. Freeze in the rain, get a cold, all for some stupid ceremony. Tradition, ceremony, professionalism; all more important than the health and welfare of the individual.

I should have kept standing in the rain. Fight for what's right.

Viva la revolution.
The Edna Man

Leap Year!

It's the 29th of Feburary! A day that shifts into existence only once every four years! And... there's nothing special about it. No special events, no special celebrations, no special things that you should be able to do only on this day and no other day of the year. It's quite sad actually. I tried thinking of stuff I could do today, but the only thing that came up was that you could look at the horoscope for today, since the Greeks or Romans, whoever they were, didn't have leap years; the Gregorian calendar was only introduced in the second millenium.

Sigh. There's so much reason for something to be special, yet it isn't. Because in the end, it's just like everything else.

Well. Happy birthday to all the lucky people born on the 29th of Feb! At least today was special for you.

Because reason says I should die three years ago
The Edna Man

The Raven's Cry

The tears are streaming down her face:
Falcon's splendor, peace of dove;
Her arms locked in feathered embrace
Around the one she's come to love.
She never would have guessed before:
Stubborn, proud; her hatred burned!
Bound to him forevermore
Till he expressed care and concern.
Tomorrow will bring wings of change,
Freedom would be understood;
But winds of fate demand exchange:
Their love for the greater good.
Yet high above where eagles soar
Will always sound the raven's caw.

------------------------------------------
Repeat after me: I have no talent. (I have no talent.) Jonny has all the talent. (Jonny has all the talent.) If I'm lucky, some of Jonny's talent will rub off on me. (If I'm lucky, Mr. Talent will rub his tentacles on my art.)

Wow. Just... wow.
The Edna Man

Lumdar

What is happy if you've never been sad?
What is good if you don't know what's bad?
What's a blessing if you've never been cursed?
What's feeling better if you've never felt worse?

What is joy if you don't know what's sorrow?
How do you lead if you never have followed?
What is hope without despair?
What is here without a there?

What's free will if you don't know what's fate?
How do you love when you don't know what's hate?
What's desire if you're always content?
Which path's straight if you don't know what's bent?

What is crying if you always laugh?
Is your life whole if you're only living half?

------------------------------
Boey is making me think. He's really upset about the splitting up of GEP, and he still is, after two months. Not saying I'm not, but it's making me think. You know how people always tell you to be happy and all the other positive stuff? Well, here's a question: why? What's so good about being happy? Sure, you feel better, but are you really living life, if you're always happy, and never know what sadness, pain, remorse, pity, longing, or disappointment are? Boey's got my sympathy.

Half-life,
The Edna Man

Singapore Flyer

What should I do when my birthday comes around? Ever since I found out it's opening on the first, I've been obsessed about going to the flyer on my birthday. The price per person is $29.50, without express check-in or whatever. I've checked my angpao money; I've got $230 I think. That means I can bring 7 people (including myself). But if I only subsidize two-thirds the price, that makes it 10 people; half the price, and it brings it up to 12. My mom says that I should see if I can get a student-bulk-discount and like, go with my class or something. But there are some things about the uncalcuable power of certain acts which go beyond any mere human understanding.

If I do go, who should I bring? Old friends, to reinforce the friendships? Or new friends, to construct my identity? Or a mixture of both, and resort to being mediator between two warring factions like Isaac's party? (Hahaha, that was like, WAY long ago XD)

Well, I want to go anyways. Try and stop me.

I really liked my last poem; I don't know why.

Autumn
The Edna Man

Autumn

A smile that's wiped off from your face;
An angel which did this from grace.
It's that which comes after a pride;
A shooting star, a meteorite.

Into traps and on hard times;
Soldiers do this into lines;
Into rhythm with a song;
Into place: plans don't go wrong.

What night and silence do so well;
When prices thus more goods will sell;
Water pours from the cliff above;
What you do when you trip into love.

Everlasting Love

Unrequited Love - Parody of Everlasting Love by Jamie Cullum

A deeper feeling
That you have for someone
It's so appealing
But when you've just begun
They say they don't
Really like you back that way
Work out it won't;
"But we can still be friends, okay?"

Open up your eyes
Then you'll realize
This is what is called
Unrequited love

Need them by your side
But you got denied
No one knows you cried
Unrequited love

Reciprocate
Doesn't mean that they love you
It must be fate
'Cos although your love is true
There's always others
Who will draw their gaze away
You're just another
Face that they see everyday

Listen to the lies
Get ready for goodbyes
You're the one who dies
Unrequited love

Even though you tried
Still the great divide
You and I collide
Unrequited love

Two of us apart
Breaking up my heart
Wanting you forever
Unrequited love

Don't you know nothing lasts forever
Don't you know nothing lasts forever
Don't you know nothing lasts forever
Don't you know nothing lasts forever

There's no love that lasts forever

Sometimes Love just ain't Enough

Some guy in Sec 3 committed suicide yesterday.

I think it's very wasted. From the information released, it sounded like an impulse suicide. Which isn't the best form of the art; as in, if you want to go out with a bang, doing it just to escape your problems isn't the best way to solve your problems. But if you're making a statement to the world, if suicide is the only option for people to notice you and take your message seriously, if your life is the price you're willing to pay to let the world know and hopefully change, then the death is less in vain. I'm not like, advocating suicide or anything; but if you really have to do it, then doing it for personal reasons isn't they way to go.

Here's a hypothetical question: if you're not connected to the world anymore, does that give you the right to release yourself from this plane of existence, instead of being forced to cling onto it due to societal conventions? Existential angst.

Student Council elections coming up. I find it very... wrong that just missing the camp/LYS automatically disqualifies you from the nomination process. It makes no sense; someone who's more appropriate for the job could miss the leadership position just because he's busy that day.

I... don't think I want to join Student Council. I doubt I'm charasmatic enough, and I lack one of the seventeen essential qualities: school pride. But seriously, I'm now even less inclined to participating in an organization. It feels so claustrophobic. I seriously don't want to do it if all it does is look good an a CV. Wonder how many people have that as sole reason.

Love, actually.
The Edna Man

Walk with Me

I think I finally figured out why people need a God. One of the reasons, at least. Because people are all so different, there is not a single person - friend, acquaintence, lover, whatever - that will walk with you or will want you to walk with down the path of life. Because everybody's different, with different self-interests and different paths they have placed in front of themselves to walk down. So people create a God to convice themselves that there is someone who will walk with them down the path of their life without going his own separate way. And the difference between that and an imaginary friend is that while each person can have his own single individual imaginary friend, everyone can have God walking down his or her path because that's what God is supposed to be, omnipresent.

Why is it that some things are designed perfectly while so many other things aren't?

On the road less travelled,
The Edna Man

Happy Chinese New Year!

Yeah, what he said. I love eating over CNY =D

There's one thing I noticed though. If you ever want to be an international superspy, become a waiter. Or waitress. (But not both at the same time.) After you hover around the table where the President of Another Country is sitting with his Delegates you might be able to pick up enough information to sell to YOUR government for big bucks. Really, waiters are like the ultimate eavsedroppers.

I don't feel like the last five days were holidays. Time seems to be slipping by so quickly. After all the meetings with relatives and stalling at people's houses I don't feel like there's been a holiday at all. Oh well. At least I learnt Mahjong: Advanced Rules.

Kinda interesting how lots of other people find their families irritating. As in, extended families.

I was looking at my blogposts again since the beginning of time and I realise that I was really different three, four years ago. My thinking was so... childish, naive, streamlined. Now it's just chaotic.

Well. Happy CNY!

Hope

A little boy lived in a hut out of town,
On an isle in between streams.
He didn’t have parents; lost when they drowned
In the river, while chasing their dreams.

It was summer, with warmth and fresh summer air
And soon he enjoyed being free;
For he was too young to learn how to despair;
For food, he had a fruit tree.

Daily he’d wake, and see sleepily
That an apple had fallen somewhere.
He’d take it and munch it hungrily,
Before tossing the core over there.

And thus the weeks passed; eventually;
The boy kept the doctor at bay:
At morn he would sit at the shade of the tree
And wait for his fruit for the day.

Autumn arrived; the leaves turned red,
And then disaster struck:
When the boy woke from his bed,
His tree was out of luck.

The boy, of course, was totally lost:
What happened to his tree?
So he decided, with legs crossed,
To sit and wait patiently.

The sun went down; the moon arose
The shadows stretched long and tall.
And the little boy shivered in his clothes
For still not one fruit did fall.

“Maybe tomorrow”, he said to himself,
While dizzying shapes spun his head;
And he dragged his body back up to the shelf
Of rock that made up his bed.

For weeks he awaited; the hope of youth!
Surviving only on drink;
His mind only held these three basic truths:
To fast, to wait and to think.

Winter approached, and snow brought the cold
And the frost that chilled to the bone;
And the boy realized that, truth be told,
The tree had left him alone.

And with all hope lost, with all promise gone,
The temperature hardened his soul:
He couldn’t continue placing hope at the dawn;
That became his ultimate goal:

To not depend on anyone,
To have no need for hope;
And when that was all said and done
He found new ways to cope.

He did not want for anything
Nor did he expect more,
Happiness was what the fates would bring;
All else, he would ignore.

He learnt to fish, he learnt to cook,
He learned to trap and bait.
He learnt to hunt and learned to look
For food that lay in wait.

Winter turned to spring, and soon
Summer returned with its power.
And in that time the apple tree blooms
Turned into fruit from their flowers.

The little boy, now another year older,
Was also another year wise.
The sunlight that shone though the tree’s leaves were colder
Than the fire that burned in his eyes.

“In the hour when I needed you most,
You turned and went your way.
Now from the dead and like a ghost,
You try to hold me sway.

“I’ve learnt to live without sadness or pain,
Even if you disappear.”
And like droplets of a crimson rain,
The apples fell like tears.

Schrodinger's Comic

This is hilarious. XD
The Edna Man

Rarity

A diamond in a lump of coal;
A poker hand with just one suit;
A wholesome, shining, perfect soul;
A non-irrational square root.

A person who thinks out the box;
A desert flooding in the rain;
A school that does not sell its socks;
Old friends meeting once again.

A Part

I once had a friend with a nephew,
Who decided to look at his clock.
"Uncle, come here!" the nephew cried,
As he loosened the clasp from the lock.

He wondered at the gearshafts,
And marvelled at the wheels;
That intricate mechanism
Seemed totally unreal.

But then he noticed something;
A spanner in the work;
A coiling strip of metal
That seemed to twist and jerk.

"It's a spring," my friend explained,
And before he could but speak;
"It looks totally useless!" was
The interrupted shriek.

"It doesn't whirr, it only spins;
It doesn't tock and it doesn't tick.
It just sits and whirls, twangs and twirls,
And makes that funny click."

"So why don't we just take it out?"
My friend, with great suspicion.
And slowly, steady, carefully,
They proceeded with their mission.

Seconds passed, nothing appeared,
Or stopped, or went kaboom;
But slowly, swiftly, silently,
The timepiece met its doom.

He tried to put the spring back in,
Explaining as he went,
That though something looked useless,
It wasn't, to any extent;

And that people, being people,
Are like raindrops in the mud:
A couple doesn't hurt you,
But more will cause a flood.

As as he taught his lessons,
The spring, out of its place,
Crumpled as he attempted
To close the lid on the case.

Not wanting to get a brand new clock,
(After all, he had this one for years)
He decided to just get a new spring,
And hang on to his sprockets and gears.

At the clockmaker's shop he inquired,
"Do you think I can sell you this spring?
It might be a little bit dented,
But I'm sure it's got use for something."

Without a glance at the metal,
The shopkeeper hurriedly said,
"That coil's worth not even a penny;
Would you like to buy something instead?"

This poem's ending is ironic,
But one of the truths of this earth:
Just because you are necessary
Doesn't mean that you have any worth.

Average

A soul among six billion,
A face lost in the crowd.
A sand grain on a shoreline,
A droplet in a cloud.

Survival of the fittest,
Culling of the weak;
But will you die unspoken
If you're neither base nor peak?

I was never best at racing,
I've not been in Top Ten
Exams I'm always midway,
Still failing now and then;

There's always people better,
There's always people worse;
There's always someone speedier
Who wrote their thoughts in verse.

"We're best in different areas!"
Or so the saying goes,
But there's always better people
Always wearing better clothes;

Better artists! Better writers!
Better students, bestest friends!
Better thinkers, better speakers,
Better stuff of odds and ends;

Better know-it-alls and leaders,
Better runners, swimmers, sleepers;
Better programmers and heralds,
Better sowers, better reapers;

And it's not just the betters-
That's just one half the curse;
You conscience also knows that
You're better off than worse;

Worser artists, worser writers;
Worser students, worst of friends!
Worser thinkers, Worser speakers,
Worser than can make amends;

Worse idiots and worse followers,
Worse bouncers, jokers, talkers;
Worse heretics and lovers;
Worse players, worser stalkers.

So when you're just plain average,
The loner in between;
You'll never stand out anyway:
Perhaps you're just plain mean.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hui Jun is influencing me to write poems. o_o And, ha, I mentioned him again, so he's going to freak out. Again. Ha. XD

If you can't spot the pun in the last line something is seriously wrong with you.

Recent astrological evidence shows that one in twelve people is compatible with your personality!
The Edna Man

Pleasantly Surprised

My MSN nick is currently "Be pessimistic! Then you can only be right, or pleasantly surprised." Jonny, upon seeing this, changed his to: "Be optimisitic! Then you'll never feel like you lost out." Then comes Hui Jun, who goes, "Be dao! That way, if anything happens, you don't care!"

Then, there's this:

Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
u noe
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
the be pessimistic thing
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
and be optimistic
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
thing
Be pessimistic! Then you can only be right, or pleasantly surprised. says:
Yeah?
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
i have a better idea
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
Be PAP
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
That way
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
you can be right
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
Always.
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
see
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
you don't evenneed to think
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
just agree
Jarrel - Why are there random things in my ctrl C buffer?. "no its already" and "ok back" says:
and you will be inevitably be RIGHT

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
The Edna Man

And it's all right now...

Jumping Jack flash is a gasp gasp gasp...

Hm. I haven't blogged in a while. Time to update my public diary I guess.

MY BOOK. The DC encyclopaedia I ordered from Amazon on the night before Christmas (I'm not joking) FINALLY ARRIVED but my mom wasn't in to collect it. So after waiting a whole MONTH when it was advertised FOURTEEN DAYS I finally have to wait THREE MORE while they find the package which got lost because the postman didn't write the Article Reference Number on the collection slip which was posted in the mailbox because there wasn't anybody home to collect the parcel. That was a stupidly long sentence, wasn't it.

What else... oh yeah, my O level results. My L1 is SIX! So with CCA, Hicher Chinese and Affiliation School, my O Levels score is practically ZERO! Well, C6 is... not to say I expected it, but I didn't think I'd get a B anyhow. Pessimism rocks. I didn't think I'd get that high, and I didn't. You can only be right or pleasantly surprised. I didn't even cry. Hah. Oh yeah. I BEAT BOEY! =P K sorry.

Uh... new class. Well, 5.2's all really nice, and I'm trying to fit in and like/be liked by everyone, and I'm like the nosiest guy in class along with Jarrel Seah and Justin Poh o_o Uh but yeah, everyone's really nice, and I think we're staying as an intact class 'cos everyone got good O-Level results! Yay!

Hui Jun's got a funky new blog. It's kinda strange 'cos he's one of the few people I know outside the circles of my class. He write nice poetry, better than any adult writer, 'cos it's not complicated and people (in this case, I) can understand the point he's trying to make SO CLEARLY. Isn't that what's important in any form of presentation, making sure that your point is brought across clearly? And, oh my gosh, they actually RHYME, which is the whole point of poems in the first place, because so many other poets are phonetically impaired and can't rhyme their stanzas.

Which reminds me. I'm thinking of starting a Comedy CCA called Laugh out Loud. Think it will work? It's either that or I hold a course for teachers (or maybe students) and uh. try to propagate. the art of humour. I have no idea whether it'll work or not; just an idea for now.

I really miss GEP and 4.9, and all I'm doing now is just being in denial and pushing aside the pain by trying to be funny and trying to move on but I know it's just an illusion of the senses, a veil of humanity over my tortured soul, lost among the sould of others going the other way. Why make friends if you have to keep making new ones? Why hold someone dear when you have to move on eventually? Let no one depend on you, and likewise you depend on no one, for then you have true freedom.

Which reminds me. Siddhartha is emo. And ... is ellipsis, not --, contrary to the claims of certain teachers.

(Uh, I'm going to expound on the earlier point as an afterthought. Our CT this year said that if we wanted to change our subjects we should choose according to what we want, not because we don't like the teachers or our friends are in different classes. Well, what if what I want is to stay friends with my old classmates? Apparently, no man is an island, but we seem to need to move through friends rather quickly, don't we? On the basis that people relate based on common experiences, and we drift apart when that common experience is gone, don't all friends become acquaintences inevitably?)

Yeah, teachers. My class got some pretty awesome teachers this year, but most of them are cancelled out by some who are at the other extreme. Like ToK, Econs... English originally, but it got better. =D Chem is awesome, Physics, Math are awesome, and Chinese is just EPIC. I've never had such fun in Chinese lessons before. You know, I think this year, I might actually become interested in Chinese! *gasp*

By the way, the ToK course companion is such a good book. I finally understand what existential angst is: it's the realisation that there is nothing stopping you from killing yourself (or doing practically anything) right now except things like, societal expectations and stuff. It's kinda cool. It's so easy to understand and read...

Hmm what else. Hui Jun's really emo, 'cos he says he isn't fitting in. And the whole thing about being conscious of your unconsciousness came up again. Like, when your imagination is very active and you're conscious of the fact that an argument has three sides - your side, my side, and the right side - and when you're conscious enough to see all four sides then you start questioning your intentions to see if you're really doing them because of logical reasoning, or subconscious affecting your rationalism, or if it's your subconscious affecting your conscious to think about the subsconscious in the first place. You get the idea that it's all horribly confusing, and very... existentially angsty.

Well... yeah.
The Edna Man

Why Does Fate Hate Me So?

Stuck in eternal hell for two years.

What have I ever done to destiny that causes her to hate me?
The Edna Man

Ambidexterity Update! #001

I've started training to become ambidexterous. So far I've practiced writing the alphabet with my left hand, using chopsticks, and using my mouse. So yeah. I'm going to get better though, then pwn Econs essays by doing two questions at the same time.

Asides from that, yeah. I've got more questions and observations about the world.

On Humour. It's actually a very amazing thing. What I've noticed is that humour is so universal to human beings. I think it's to show that "Hey, I'm not a threat, let me into your herd so I can get extra protection from predators." Almost (I mean almost; certain "enthusiastic" teachers display very little sense of humour at all) everybody uses humour almost everyday. Like, new people dumped into unfamiliar OGs. Jokes are the greatest form of acceptance. There are even people who make a living out of being funny. I've been watching a lot of Stand Up Comedy on YouTube, to get out of being emo all the time. Some of them are really quite good.

On Literature. Again I wonder why so many modern books aren't part of literary syllabus. I caught sight of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (hope I got the title correct) being a core book in the English B syllabus. So why can't books like Dark Materials or Harry Potter be examinable as well? It'd get students more interested in Lit, for one. And there's so many similarities with them and Huck Finn. They're all controversial, difficult to read (in a sense) and are, seemingly, children's books. Maybe they just don't have the depth of all the other so called "literary works of art". Isn't that just an opinion.

On War. A poem by what'shisnameIcan'tremember about the horrors of World War One and how it was all useless to the next generation. Someone raised a point about how, in those times, soldiers were all 18 or 19 years old, too young to live through the horrors of war (most of them didn't). So I was wondering, why if 18's too young to go to war, why's it old enough to go to NS and train for war?

Memorized Thesaurus
The unnecessary, inessential, dispensable, unimportant, disposable, peripharal, redundant, superfluous, replaceable, insignificant Edna Man

I'm From GEP and I like it that way

Way back up in the history, back in the past
Down in the classrooms where the marks surpassed
Having awesome teachers and ownage friends
Mad assignments and funky trends
That’s where I’m from and I’m proud to say
I’m from GEP and I like it that way

Everybody knows everybody, everybody calls you friend
It's the premier in education, there's nothing more that you can win
Yeah, we know how to work and we know how to play
We’re from GEP and we like it that way

All day long we do our homework
Then when it's all done we just go berserk
Mugging or LANning, we do it late into the night
And 'cos we're all just GEPs like the mainers all say (hey)
We’re from GEP and we like it that way

Everybody knows everybody, everybody calls you friend
We all hate this separation, if only GEP would never end
Yeah, we're all one family, wish it would stay
We’re from GEP and we like it that way

Everybody knows everybody, everybody calls you friend
C'mon, join the celebration, we'll party till we don't know when
Yeah, I'll say it again, though it's getting cliche
We’re from GEP
We’re from GEP
We’re from GEP and we like it that way

Parody of I'm From the Country by Tracy Byrd

Human Nature

Another thought. I know how from Christianity humans are all sinful and stuff, but from an evolutionary standpoint human nature is perfect. It's all planned, worked out. First the basic premise: Survival above all. Then, the emotional and psychological programming which subliminates the first one so much that no one can sense it proactively. And then, all the crazy people like me, who don't care about survival anymore can all die out lonely, ensuring that the freak DNA isn't passed on to the next generation. All, again, for survival's sake.

Perfect.
The Edna Man

Highlights of 2007

I was just reading through my blog posts of last year. And so now I'm going to put all my angsty thoughts of yesteryear in one place.

"I don't expect any help. Come on, this is Singapore."

So let's all shut up now. Even if it's wrong, or we don't believe or agree with it, keep it to yourself. Let the unjust go unspoken; let the problem go unsaid. Children should be seen and not heard. Everything that is disagreeable, or contrary, or different, just keep quiet. Silence for survival; survival above all.

A sock is a symbol, as is the act of not buying it. Symbols are given power by people. A symbol, in and of itself is powerless, but with enough people behind it, not buying a pair of socks can change the world.

Put the notes together and you get the melody of my life.

I guess that's why people with new ideas, who go against the flow, always feel so alone. When you're going the opposite way from everyone else, it sure is creepy.

What made you continue when nobody believed in you?

Why don't we all just work with the system, who cares about the flaws, accept that life is what it is, screw creativity, screw progress, screw point of view.

Why is it when kids do it it's wrong, but when adults do it, it's alright?

Nations become extremely closed-minded and unreceptive to new ideas, isolating themselves and then warring when they can't resolve their bipolar conflicts.

If you wanted to be so damn uniform about it, why not just plug up everybody in this whole damn universe to a gigantic pulsing brain so that IT controls everything and everything and everyone will be exactly the SAME. Why must you humiliate, shun, repremand me, just because I am different?

If one could ignore everything else the book was trying to say, about life and religion and the quantum theory; about multipule universes and the original sin; about knives and compasses and spyglasses and honesty and trust and belief; then we'd be left with the most important thing of all: Love. And everything else would be inconsequential; what would matter most would be human being's ability to love.

I've gotten started thinking again, but I'm not going to put it here 'cos then people like Juzzie and Kwong are going to say I'm angsty again and etc.

-----

You know what? I don't think anybody really likes me. They're just putting up with me because they have to. After all this is over, and they don't have to be with me anymore, it's the perfect chance to get away, forget about everything else, only pay attention to new friends and forget the old ones.

I guess that's what I really hate about splitting friends. They ignore you for the rest of your life. Newer, better friends. It's like having a family member disown you.

Wonder what it's like to have a real family.
The Edna Man

Ohana Means Family

It means nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten.
The Edna Man

It's kinda like a story in verses of different songs.

Forever and ever
Is a very long time Pooh
Forever isn't long at all
When I'm with you

Together forever, no matter how long
From now until the end of time
We'll be together and you can be sure
That forever and a day
That's how long we'll stay
Together and forever more

Til' the end I will be with you,
We will go where our dreams come true,
All the times that we have been through,
You will always be my best friend...

And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

Close your eyes, give me your hand.
Do you feel my heart beating?
Do you understand?
Do you feel the same?
Am I only dreaming?
Is this burning an eternal flame?

Wise men say,
Only fools rush in.
But, I can't help
falling in love with you.
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin,
If I, I can't help
Falling in love with you?

And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

First we touch, and we hurt each other
Then we tear our hearts apart
We are too close and I can feel the pain
Fill my empty heart

Everywhere I turn, I hurt someone
But there's nothing I can say
to change the things I've done
I'd do anything within my power
I'd give everything I've got
But the path I seek is hidden
from me now

I'm forced to fake a smile, a laugh
Everyday of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with

Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone

I would give anything I own
Give up my life, my heart, my home
I would give ev'rything I own
Just to have you back again

I'd do anything
Just to hold you in my arms
To try to make you laugh
Somehow I can't put you in the past
I'd do anything
Just to fall asleep with you
Will you remember me?
Cuz' I know I won't forget you

Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you

Hold me now
It's hard for me to say I'm sorry
I just want you to stay

I just wanna feel real love,
Feel the home that I live in.
’cause I got too much life,
Running through my veins, going to waste.
And I need to feel, real love
And a life ever after.
I cannot get enough.

Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?

My last night here for you
Same old songs, just once more
My last night here with you?
Maybe yes, maybe no
I kind of liked it your way
How you shyly placed your eyes on me
Oh, did you ever know?
That I had mine on you

It's kinda like a story in verses of different songs.
The Edna Man

My life is hell

Life sucks.

But that's life isn't it? Deal with it. A whole series of 'Deal with it."s until you die.

People talk about anthropology. Going to the same cafe and every day for a couple months, and just look at people. Takes me just one day to see that orientation is just primitivity in disguise. I read the Midnighters trilogy (sans book two) recently. All this stuff we're doing, is just the same tribal things the cavemen used to do: accepting newcomers into their tribe, fostering the sense of safety in numbers, exhibiting the humiliation and danger of not being one of the pack. Bloody conformists.

There's so many things I had in my head that I've lost track of them all and have no idea how to put into words. There was something about separation, and how our class was more like a family to me than my relatives; something about me being the screwed up one not supposed to be in the world; something about me being conscious enough to acknowledge that all this is some stupid cry for attention or something. Ignorance is bliss.

I'm probably going to become a writer when I grow up, if I live that long. Which means I probably don't need to go to school anymore. I am pretty damn sure that you can learn everything and more, on the Internet. More than school will teach you. I have a feeling that in the future, that's what people will be doing: Internet schooling. You can have a class full of friends, going up all the way from K1 to Uni. Friends forever. Friends... forever.

Friends are my only angels, and I'm going to lose them all.
The Edna Man

Just Some Thoughts

I dunno why I feel compelled to write again. Maybe I really don't believe in my opening paragraph in the post five minutes ago.

First: blog titles. I don't know if you've noticed, or if you're one of those people that don't write titles, but blog title-rs tend to make sure that they don't repeat their titles? Is it something conscious, or is it just because people are changing every day that even when they write about the same thing the title's different? It's just like the chapters of a book.

Second: new classes. Tomorrow, new school, new classes, new people to make friends with. I guess if you're someone like Michael Wee and you have like, friends of friends of friends of friends halfway across the globe, thousands and millions of people, acquaintances, relations, then you'll be comfortable about all this. I'm feeling that even though I have fewer friends, I like, treasure, appreciate them much more than some people like, who have church or have friends outside school/class/Singapore. Like, all those links on the sidebar, they're going to have new names, names of people I don't know, newer people, further away. And even now, people have started drifting apart, discarding and ignoring old friends in favour of new ones. I feel even more like a drifter, just wandering through life without close companionship, people just being people, coming close, then shooting off somewhere else where they belong.

Maybe that's who I'm supposed to be.

Thirdly: parentals. I got kinda uh... pissed last night 'cos of stuff adults tend to say that just pisses kids (well, me) off. I mean, they're always talking about how well-trained you are. Like dogs, like pets. "Oh, he's washing the dishes! He's so well trained!" Haiz. Like all we're brought in life to do is to serve adults.

Chapters of Life
The Edna Man

Happy New Year, I guess

Wow, it's been so long since I blogged. For some reason, I don't feel like writing much anymore. It's just so... words can't get close enough to whatever I'm feeling to express it properly. I'm still going to blog, I guess; 'cos someone reminded me that memories are important; they can't beat the real thing, but they're better than nothing.

I guess I need to update. It feels so long since Jonas' Pirates Marathon, but so fast too. I've had an operation, removed my adenoids, experienced anesthesia (which was darn cool). I've watch Golden Compass and a bunch of other stuff I can't remember. I've been playing Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom. I've wrapped Christmas presents for class party and I really hate splitting up.

Let's Make A Resolution
I'll Drink To That
Let's Always Stay Friends
Tho' We May Have Our Disputes
This Family Tree's Got Deep Roots
Friendship Is Thicker Than Blood
That Depends

Depends On Trust
Depends On True Devotion
Depends On Love
Depends On Not Denying Emotion

Perhaps
It's Gonna Be A Happy New Year
I Guess
It's Gonna Be A Happy New Year
You're Right
It's Gonna Be A Happy New Year

Yeah, right.

I've recently been introed to Steven Wright, stand-up comedian. Man is he good. It's wit; pure, sharp, unadulterated wit. It's genius. Like a peripheral visionary: seeing into the future but way off to the sides.

"I ended up playing poker with tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died."

Happy New Year, I guess
The Edna Man

Just one of those days

Pirates marathon at Jonas's house today. It was alright... not the super hyped-up thing it was expected to be. I don't think anyone was more than vaguely interested; if they were, they didn't show it. So it was mostly people laughing at subtitles, Boey complain about the boring parts, Zhang groping my hair, Kwong sleeping, Jason being totally quite, Bryan being irritating, and Jonas being too extremely hospitable. HEAR THAT JONAS? YOU'RE BEING TOO NICE.

I think next time, I'll just have a marathon by myself at home. It's about the same thing.

Oh, another thing happened today. I was going home from Wisma when I saw Gideon on the bus. It was vaguely crowded; I couldn't edge past the people to behind, where he was sitting. We were like, three seats away, about 2 metres apart. We mouthed our hellos and waved, and then he tried to ask me where I came from, where I was going, and stuff. I couldn't understand his miming XD And it was so confusing that it got to the point where he asked me to call him on his handphone. Like, two metres away XD I could hear him from where I was standing; his voice I mean, and there was like half a second delay before it came through the earpiece from my phone. So I remarked this to him, and then he suggested that we hang up and just keep talking and pretending to be talking to each other on the phone. And it worked XD It was hilarious XD I have got to do that again some time.

I don't want just a memory
The Edna Man

Love

I've just finished His Dark Materials trilogy.

Once again I am swayed to writing by the power of the words of another great storyteller. A myraid of thoughts now swirl through my mind, as swift and relentless as Dust. Again, a compelling storyline, a mystifying plot, combining aspects of religion, philosophy, quantum physics; everything. And so many layers of meaning, like reading an alethiometer; and you have to be curious, willing to believe, and have the imagination to enter the fantasy world and see the meanings in the symbols.

And the meanings! If one could ignore everything else the book was trying to say, about life and religion and the quantum theory; about multipule universes and the original sin; about knives and compasses and spyglasses and honesty and trust and belief; then we'd be left with the most important thing of all: Love. And everything else would be inconsequential; what would matter most would be human being's ability to love.

"But just keep up this coming here once a year, just for a hour, just to be together..." -- Lyra

Measure in Love. Seasons of Love.
The Edna Man

Life just goes on.

Everybody keeps asking me to blog. Okay, here it is.

Hmm, let's just go way back in time a bit.

31st Oct: THIS WAS HALLOWEEN. My dad's birthday too. Had birthday dinner at a Japanese restaurant. Tried sushi for the first time. Wasabi is still too painful for my taste. Salmon was nice. Tuna was not so. Squid was bleh. Yellowtail was okay, egg was okay, and the other one I can't remember what it was.

1st Nov: Jonas's second party. Wated Stardust; it's a really good movie. But at the end, it felt like one of those Chinese legends, like a fairytale to explain natural phenomena. Like the Seamstress and the Goatherd or whatever their names are, on each side of the Milky Way. Still quite cool though. I wonder if it's based on a book; usually movies aren't like that unless they're based on a book.

3rd Nov: Juzzie's belated party. I wonder if you can use the word 'belated' like that. Anyway, we had fun playing badminton. We all pwned Juzzie at Warning Forever, and that statement wasn't true. There was this gigantic 'Mech with three legs and like a million guns. Juzzie has supremely hyperactive brothers, like with sugar-rush on high and powered by nuclear battries and the Speed Force.

5-7th Nov: Chass chalet. Fun, but not terribly so. Spent so much time spamming TNN cards and nobody was really interested. Only played a couple games with Bryan; some beta-testing that turned out to be. Cooking is fun, but I tended to become hyper, and not many people liked that. Maybe because it's because I keep getting hyper too much that people think that's my natural state of mind and thun when I'm moody and reflective people think it's not right and keep trying to change it back. Where do you stand on the whole inverted-noninverted debate? I think I can get used to anything with enough time. Jonas has one heck of an pwnage Pokemon deck. So does Jason. My energy is always at the bottom of my deck. Michael Wee is not good at Speed. Zhang is too good at Speed. Walking in the rain is nice =) Herrick makes pwnage cocktails. He has to learn how to toss it up behind his back first though.

As far as I can tell, the Dark Materials trilogy has been awesome so far. I just finished Subtle Knife, and it's awesome. Wonder why people aren't condemning it like Da Vinci Code though. Maybe they did when it was first published. Maybe 'cos the ending isn't blasphemeous. Whatever. The plot is awesome. The style is different too; the author doesn't go too much into emotions. It's awesome, the whole thing.

I've gotten started thinking again, but I'm not going to put it here 'cos then people like Juzzie and Kwong are going to say I'm angsty again and etc.

Well, that's all she wrote.
The Edna Man

By the Book

The keyword for today is: flexibility.

Do you dislike rules? Yeah, me too. They're too restricting. Now don't get me wrong; I'm not against all rules. I'm against the rules that don't make sense; those rules which command you to live your life in the way that the rulers see fit; those rules which are imposed on you without you knowing the reasoning behind it. And meaning is everything.

I've no belief in society. Society is a large group with overarching rules which attempt to control the minority by imposing on the majority. I've lost confidence in national identity. A nation is a extremely large group with more overarching rules attempting to sway everyone to the point of view of the majority. Nations become extremely closed-minded and unreceptive to new ideas, isolating themselves and then warring when they can't resolve their bipolar conflicts. I've never believed in one religion. Too restrictive, and once again too much group isolation and warring.

I guess it's a Nietzchian idea: we are holding on to old traditions and customs which don't necessarily hold water in our day and age anymore. Standing on chairs, for instance. Uniform jackets, for another.

I think that's the reason I like TCGs, and maybe games in general. There's an established set of rules, but the cards, or whatever, they go against the rules; like, warping them into something else that is acceptable within gameplay. And with TCGs especially, every game is different; there's so many different card combinations that your strategy has to be flexible enough to play all of them.

Being flexible allows you to tackle different problems more effectively. You're less likely to get stuck somewhere if you're flexible enough to take the route around, not just through. You get more out of life too, by trying anything and everything that comes your way.

But if you get a kick out of setting store by the rules and doing things by the book, then that's you.

I can't change the world. I can only change myself.
The Edna Man

Rules Against

Today I was reprimanded for standing on a chair.

I finally figured it out. I wouldn't book anyone else who stepped on a chair because I don't see it as disrespecting the formality of the occasion. It was just the fastest route from A to B. I admit climbing over the chairs would have been a better move, but it's been done. And I won't do it again, not because I see the action as wrong, but because other people with power and authority don't like me doing it.

What is the deal with conformity anyway? A person doesn't have to be like everybody else, wearing the same things, behaving the same way. What have you people got against things that aren't normal? I'm cold, so I wear gloves and a hat. It's perfectly justified, and yes I am that cold. I can't wear my jacket, so I wear gloves. I don't give a damn if you're not cold; I am. Why can't I be different from you?

What's the deal with jackets anyway? It's just an overcoat; it's not killing anyone or insulting anybody's religion or disrespecting the formality of the occasion or anything. I don't see what's so important about not having a shield-shaped logo stamped there. Will it compromise national security? Will it reflect negatively on the school's reputation? If you wanted to be so damn uniform about it, why not just plug up everybody in this whole damn universe to a gigantic pulsing brain so that IT controls everything and everything and everyone will be exactly the SAME. Why must you humiliate, shun, repremand me, just because I am different?

IHS was okay. Lang Arts is fail. Physics tomorrow.

I am a thermic resistor: resistance increase proportionately to decrease in temperature
The Edna Man

Against the Flow

If you want to know what it's like to be different from everybody else in the whole universe, go into a cinema (pay for your ticket first) and in the middle of the movie, just turn your head around and look at the audience (don't block anyone!).

If you are not so cheapskate that you can't even afford to spend a minute or two looking away from the big screen, you will be greeted with an eerie, haunting sight. Two hundred odd people all staring at something over your shoulder, their faces lit up with dim, flickering light, all eyes focused in the same direction, all not looking at you.

That's when you come to the realisation that you are totally, uniquely, creepily different from everyone else. I witnessed something like this today during the Honour's Day Rehersal (waste of time again but that's not important). I purposely turned my back on the screen so that I would not be bored tomorrow when the real (reel? haha) clip played. It was the exact same look-behind-you-in-a-cinema effect. It felt weird; imagine walking through a crowd of people all staring at the screen, paying no attention to you.

I guess that's why people with new ideas, who go against the flow, always feel so alone. When you're going the opposite way from everyone else, it sure is creepy.

Upcurrently,
The Edna Man

In response

It’s exam time again, and unfortunately,
I’ve got to do this exam, by decree.
I really don’t want to, I have to confess;
Let’s just get this done so I can go for recess.
In the spirit of fun, I’ll stick to the style
Of the question in question, so that it’ll bring a smile
To the unfortunate soul who is marking this script
Since grading this paper will sure make you flip.

A look at the poem and it’s easy to see
That the poet’s intent was to make it funny
Through the structure and rhyme! And this essay
Will attempt to show how the humour is conveyed.

Firstly for structure, it’s clearly a sonnet;
Let’s just keep moving on; don’t keep bees in your bonnet.
Although that was obvious, the purpose is not
‘Cos sonnets are mostly in love songs a lot.
And this is no ballad, no sweet courtship song
If we’re talking ‘bout genre, this style is all wrong.
But if I could make an intelligent guess,
The content and diction would seem to suggest
That the poet was aiming to juxtapose
A question ‘bout poems not written in prose
With the rest of the questions; but that’s one aspect;
The other: that this poem seems to reflect
That sometimes the structure is inconsequential
It’s more likely the content would be more essential.
And I’m sure you’ll agree that this is the case:
The structure was something that just fell into place.

Now talking ‘bout rhyme; the poem, in fact;
The rhymin’ and timin’ would seem to attract
More readers, more students, to give an attempt
To answer the question with a bit less contempt.
That’s one of the uses; the other is thus:
The rhythmic verses makes humour a plus.
The rhyme scheme and rhythm can be said to produce
An effect on the poem not unlike Dr. Seuss.
The singsong-ish voice, the unserious tone
Only serves to make the content more shown
In a humourous way, and that makes you laugh
Even if it didn’t, it sure was enough.
For the whole satirical effect to come through
Don’t think too deeply; no meanings construe.
That poem and this were written for fun
Which exams obscure and destroy all in one.

Thus in conclusion, this essay is moot:
Both poems have no real meaning to boot.
The exam will be over when I put down this pen
So when I do: Let the party begin.

With reference

I forgot about this. Mr Wong today in Lang Arts asked us to set possible exam questions. Only at the end of it all did Jarrel remind me of something totally pwnage: write the question in the style of a poem.

It's exam time again, and you know the drill:
Sit here and be silent and write stuff and chill
yourself to the bone, but again I digress;
You're reading this only because of your test.
This question's 'bout poems, about words in a verse,
Of which structure and meaning can be so diverse.
There's sonnets and ballads and of course limerick,
Some read for pages; some others quite quick.
It goes without saying, you've already guessed,
What your answer to this must surely address.
Comment on the structure, or on the rhyme
of the poem in your essay, if you've got the time.
Content's up to you, rebutt if you must,
But from two or three of your poems: Discuss.

If this came out, I'd totally do it for the sheer pwnage-ness of the question.

And to make it interesting, if I've got the time,
I'm prepared to write the whole essay in rhyme.
The Edna Man

Chaotic Neutral

Hi.

Today I'm talking to all you pioneers out there. Yes, you know who you are. All of you who have ever had an idea which has been shouted down, criticized, alluded to fantasy, called ridiculous, insensible or illogical. Here's my question to you: how did you do it? How did you change the face of the world with just your idea, when everyone else was against you, calling it daft, away with the fairies? All the encyclopaedias and biographies just say that "with hard work and perseverance", but what really was going through your mind? How did you know you were right? How would you know that you weren't wrong? What made you continue when nobody believed in you?

I've got ideas. I've got lots of ideas. And lots more that nobody agree with. Ideas that are so weird, different, disagreeable, that it can only be called revolutionary. I'm not praising myself here; revolutionary in the sense that it's so against the system. That the concept is so contextually wrong that nobody agrees with it and/or gives it backing and support.

Should I just shut up? My ideas will be shut down anyway, so what's the point of bringing them up at all? Why don't we all just work with the system, who cares about the flaws, accept that life is what it is, screw creativity, screw progress, screw point of view. Why do you follow something you disagree with? Isn't it better if you try to make it better?

Why make it better in the first place? There are so many contradicting viewpoints that there is no such thing as better. And everything is impractical because it takes too much time and money. What is good? What is bad? Why is my idea flawed? Why isn't yours? Why are we putting so much faith in the system? What's wrong with changing the system? What is wrong?

Kev once asked me what Chaotic Neutral is. It's a character alignment system from Dungeons and Dragons, which basically ascribes your character's ethical code and moral path. It's based on two perpendicular axes: the chaotic-lawful, and the good-evil; so there are nine different alignments you can choose from. I came across Chaotic Neutral while playing Neoquest II, and it kind of describes me; 'cos I'm not totally good, but not totally bad either. And I'm definitely not lawful because I keep going against the system. Apparently Chaotic Neutral is the alignment for rebels. Huh, imagine that.

The fact that the issue is so small and easily rectified is what upsets me.

Change the world, they said. Make a difference, they said. Well, I'm trying, but nobody's letting me.
The Edna Man

Synesthesia

I just watched this show on Arts Cenrtal. It's this segment called Mosiac Monday, and today's was called Brain Man. It's about this British person, Daniel-something, I can't remember, and he was like a genius. Like a hundred Jarrel Seahs put together. I think it was really cool.

Apparently he has a form of number form synesthesia, and he sees numbers as landscapes, images in his mind. And while in most other synesthesics the images are more concepts, abstract; with Daniel it's more physical and vivid. And his abilities were amazing. He memorized a chessboard with 26 random pieces on it in 10 minutes. He used his intuition to win three hands of 21 at Blackjack in Las Vegas. He calculates exponentials with just shapes. It's really very amazing.

Next week is about a boy with no eyes; yet he can "see" using something which I think is echolation. That's like a real-life Daredevil.

Sounding purple,
The Edna Man

The Exams Problem

The Barometer Problem

The following concerns a question in a physics degree exam at the
University of Copenhagen:

"Describe how to determine the height of a skyscraper with a barometer."

One student replied:

"You tie a long piece of string to the neck of the barometer, then lower the barometer from the roof of the skyscraper to the ground. The length of the string plus the length of the barometer will equal the height of the building."

This highly original answer so incensed the examiner that the student was failed immediately. The student appealed on the grounds that his answer was indisputably correct, and the university appointed an independent arbiter to decide the case.

The arbiter judged that the answer was indeed correct, but did not display any noticeable knowledge of physics. To resolve the problem it was decided to call the student in and allow him six minutes in which to provide a verbal answer that showed at least a minimal familiarity with the basic principles of physics.

For five minutes the student sat in silence, forehead creased in thought. The arbiter reminded him that time was running out, to which the student replied that he had several extremely relevant answers, but couldn't make up his mind which to use. On being advised to hurry up the student replied as follows:

"Firstly, you could take the barometer up to the roof of the skyscraper, drop it over the edge, and measure the time it takes to reach the ground. The height of the building can then be worked out from the formula H = 0.5g x t squared. But bad luck on the barometer."

"Or if the sun is shining you could measure the height of the barometer, then set it on end and measure the length of its shadow. Then you measure the length of the skyscraper's shadow, and thereafter it is a simple matter of proportional arithmetic to work out the height of the skyscraper."

"But if you wanted to be highly scientific about it, you could tie a short piece of string to the barometer and swing it like a pendulum, first at ground level and then on the roof of the skyscraper. The height is worked out by the difference in the gravitational restoring force T =2 pi sqr root (l /g)."

"Or if the skyscraper has an outside emergency staircase, it would be easier to walk up it and mark off the height of the skyscraper in barometer lengths, then add them up."

"If you merely wanted to be boring and orthodox about it, of course, you could use the barometer to measure the air pressure on the roof of the skyscraper and on the ground, and convert the difference in millibars into feet to give the height of the building."

"But since we are constantly being exhorted to exercise independence of mind and apply scientific methods, undoubtedly the best way would be to knock on the janitor's door and say to him 'If you would like a nice new barometer, I will give you this one if you tell me the height of this skyscraper'."
Source: Snopes

Doesn't this tell you something about the nature of exams? Of why answers given must be the ones that the marking scheme wants, although other answers could be correct? And even then, any scientific reasoning we could give would be void by the most practical answer. So what are we still doing exams for?

If you can tell me, I'll give you a brand new barometer.
The Edna Man

How many last straws can we take?

Name: Uncle Edna
Class: 4.09
Date: 10th September
Year: 2007
Organization: Blogger.com
Areas: Creativity, Action, Service, Leadership
Shoe Size: 9
Favourite Colour: Orange, maybe blue.
What do you feel about the whole optimist/pessimist thing?: What?!
Teacher Supervisor: None

Proposal for: Blogging about CASL

On the 10th of September 2007, I intend to write a blog post about the idiocy of the Creativity, Action, Service, and Leadership Programme (CASL) in long, satirical prose.

The aims and objectives of the aforementioned activity are to allow me to express my views about the above topic, in the hopes that others may see my point of view, allowing them to garner a fuller representation of the above topic. Formalities aside, this activity is also an opportunity to antagonize and vent my frustrations about the failures of the education system which is a very serious matter indeed.

Signed: The Edna Man
Teacher Supervisor

Was that stupid enough for you? If not, let's go on to talk about my day, and you'll see stupid concepts worse than Being Hit on the Head Lessons.

After a bone-chilling hour of IHS lecture, some guy from some university (dunno which university lah, but you can guess) comes in and starts talking about that university and everything the school offers, blah blah blah. I was barely interested, and while it would have been tolerable if he had ended at the appropriate time (because he said he would take only FORTY MINTUES), he ended up overshooting by half an hour. Very slick. Would his whole faculty be like that? If so, then I might not be interested, thanks.

And that's with me freezing in my seat and dying of hunger.

I don't get it. Everyone keeps lecturing us on how to keep within the time when you're presenting, and don't hold people up and all that. Didn't these people receive the same education? Why is it when kids do it it's wrong, but when adults do it, it's alright?

And then, to top it all off, the Year 4 Level Director comes and gives us another 15 minute lecture on How our CASL Book is Not Up to Standard and If He were to Judge Now We Would All Fail and Stay Back A Year. That's about all I got from those fifteen minutes, partly because the cold and lack of lunch was numbing my brain, and also partly because that's all he seemed to say; he repeated it about ten times. At least.

Hello...? Hungry? Cold? Irritable driver waiting? Don't care? Alright. Nothing I can do about it anyway.

And then there's the whole idea CASL which irks me. That you have to do a proposal for every little stinking thing we do. Oops, I sneezed; guess I have to write a proposal for that. Then comes the meticulous records of the number of hours we put in. Then the reflections.

Can you imagine? A hundred and fifty hours worth of proposal, C-A-S-L, reflections. I mean WHAT THE HELL-o what have we here? A blasted ESSAY about the whole thing or YOU DON'T PASS YOUR IB.

C'mon. There has got to be a better way than this. Doing good or participating in activities isn't supposed to be about meticulous proposal writing, or the frantic calculation about how many hours you've got. Once you implement the quota, the whohle meaning is lost. A wise Core Math Teacher once said, "When you start taking photos for money, you're not going to enjoy photography anymore."

Or maybe that's what it's about. Screw the meaning and purpose, what's important is Vitamin M.

Sometimes it just makes me think about quitting formal education and opt for home-schooling. Might as well learn everything from the Internet. Just imagine, if you go apply for a job interview, and you say, "Well, I almost reached the IB Diploma. It's just that I disagreed with the system and quit in protest, and continued my education on the Internet." And they hired you. You must have had some really good pants.

At least there are some other examples of the human species at its prime. Lang Arts Teacher in stunning move launches into speech about language and words, and how important they are to building character. Extra, extra, read all about it!

Hours done: 30 Writing: 1 Creativity Posting: 1 Service
The Edna Man

WARRRGHHH

Remember that Dexter episode where he was watching some Action Hank movie when it got interrupted by a Emergency Broadcast Blue-Screen-of-Death so he went around solving crises and emergencies trying to prematurely end the Emergency Broadcast but when he got back to his TV they said it was just a test of the system and when his show continued the movie was at the end?

Yeah, well, I was watching Danny Phantom today, a new episode, and a double-part storyline to boot. I didn't know that there were two episodes back to back but since I was so excited by the first part I stuck around to se if there was a second part and to my great surprise and excitement there was! So there I am wacthing it eagerly and it gets to the exciting climax where Danny beats the villian and then - the broadcast broke. WARRRGHHH So I kept the TV on in the hopes that they'd get it fixed soon, and it did - after Danny beat the villian and the climax was over.

WARRRGHHH
The Edna Man

Eureka!

Today during Core Math Jarrel was explaining to me how the Monty Hall dilemna works. He patiently attempted a couple of times, while my brain simply refused to click, when all of a sudden everything sudenly fell into place! And for a brief vague moment, I understood it! I don't think I can explain it to anyone else now, but oh well.

Don't you just love those moments?

Aha!
The Edna Man

ALL HAIL POWERPOINT

I just completed a Teachers' Day event using nothing animations in Powerpoint 2003. YEAH!

It's so ownage, I can't believe it myself.

But then. Jonas knows how to use MACROS. O_O Since he was in PRIMARY SCHOOL. O____O

Anyway, 3 days of hard work, completed. I hope it works out okay!

Oh yeah, I showed it to The Jarrel Seah, Programming Lord and Master.

(10:39 PM) Jarrel - Names i: u made this?
(10:40 PM) Life, Love, and: Yeah >_>
(10:40 PM) Life, Love, and: Why?
(10:40 PM) Jarrel - Names i: quite cool
(10:40 PM) Jarrel - Names i: i like
(10:40 PM) Life, Love, and: WOAH
(10:40 PM) Jarrel - Names i: it works
(10:40 PM) Jarrel - Names i: btw
(10:40 PM) Life, Love, and: I HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY THE GREAT JARREL SEAH ! O_O


Hahahahaha,
The Edna Man

Orchestrated

On a happy note, I managed to pull off my IHS presentation. Jarrel's question was okay to answer, even though I didn't know the answer.

On a sad note, my IOP wasn't as great as all the effort I put into it. Well, cest la vie. I think.

On a happy note, most of my graded homework is over, and all I have to do now is backlog.

On a sad note, I'm quite disgusted at how my class stripped a box of curry puffs to the bones, when Mr Jason Chan brought them into class today. He never mentioned why he had them, why he was giving them to us, or even IF he was giving them to us. They were on them like a flock of vultures. The puffs never stood a chance.

On a happy note, Confucius say: "Tired students, always late." Go Mr Bernard Taylor!

On a sad note, Juzzie is pissed at me because of my negative MSN nicks.

On a happy note, I like Jason Mraz's Wordplay.

On a sad note, CAS sucks.

Put the notes together and you get the melody of my life.

Requiemly,
The Edna Man

Perchance to dream

Damn Hamlet. Why did Shakespeare have to be so long-winded. Why did our generation acclaim him as a literary genius.

It's my IOC tomorrow. My head is pounding with the Elizabithean language while I struggle to pick out literary devices.

Once again, we are bereft of pupils whose main interest is that of securing high marks and beating the rest of the competition. While here I am, just trying to do my best, to do my commentary properly, learning as I go along.

Nobility truly is dead.
The Edna Man

Of twentyfour and ninetysix

Well, twentyfour is over and that means a whole load of stress and work off my shoulders. It (the prize ceremony) went excellently, and I think some of my stupid jokes made it through, which is good =) In other related news, Also Sprach Zarathustra is great for announcing awards.

By the way, go see this. It's based on the Nokia N93 Ad with Gary Oldman, and I think it's amazingly done. Conflict!

I watched this year's NDP parade, and I think it's just totally weird. I mean, the starfish and Sing the roller-skating lionfish were strange enough, but... garden faries? That takes the cake.

Anyhow, today's been the start of ninetysix, the four-day coursworking marathon, to finish all the graded projects which I missed while I was sick.

ninety-six hours. three projects. one dead guy.

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women in it are merely players.
The Edna Man

Now this.

Well, it's my first day back in school for one and a half weeks, and the first thing I hear is about the jacket design competition for the new school jackets. I've done a design, yeah - should I enter?

Yeah, definitely.

The Story Ends

Hey. I haven’t blogged in a long time. Been sick, mostly. Hospitalised, haven’t been to school for more than a week. I’m really supposed to be doing homework now, but I’m completely not in the mood to do so. I’ll probably have to start something after this, though.

I just thought I’d note some of my feelings down here, the only place where my memories don’t get lost. I’ve just spent most of my bedridden days reading - sleeping, mostly, but reading as well - the entire Harry Potter series. Mr. Wong lent me the seventh book when he came to visit with the other Mr. Wong, the one who doesn’t like reading. *cough*

Anyway, I finished reading Deathly Hallows just yesterday, and since then I’ve felt - I don’t know - empty, lost? Like a hollow feeling, like there’s something that should be there but isn’t, like something left me. I’ve no idea how to explain it, describe it, put it in words.

I understand if Harry Potter isn’t your type of book. I think it’s one of the best pieces of literature around today, although I don’t read that widely. It’s best to me though; is that worth anything? Much better than Hamlet or all the other weird Elizabethan stuff anyway.

J.K. Rowling is a genius. Can you imagine what type of creativity and imagination this author must have? Nineteen years, seven novels, a whole new universe of magic. ‘Cos that’s what it is, really: magic. The captivation of a spellbinding plot; the charm of a number of enchanting characters; the hidden, silent call of the profound exponential lessons of life that emanates from the literature… it can’t be anything else.

I don’t think I can achieve my purpose of writing this; I cannot hope to convey the feeling of absolute dread and anticipation as I thumbed through the pages, drinking in each and every word, the images forming in my mind; excitement from the fact that I was getting to the end of the mystery, but dreading to reach the end and finding out that it… ends. It was such a wonderful experience, flipping page by page, living chapter by chapter, ignoring the harsh world around me, just sunk into this amazing work of fiction and living, breathing imagination. It stunned me, when I the back cover closed, and the entire legend finished, ended.

It seems a world apart from me now, something faraway; distant, like a long-lost friend. I now realise the power of (good) literature (for the second time I think, since the Da Vinci talk), its ability to take the reader and his imagination on an emotional roller-coaster ride, living with the characters as though they were real, laughing, crying, everything. Something Hamlet has never been able to do for me, I might add.

And the writing style! I find myself trying to copy it, to imitate the technique of one a hundred, thousand, million times my superior. It makes me want to write, yet when I look at TNN, it seem to pale in comparison. The vocabulary, the organisation! The placement of information where and when it is needed! In short, the absolute essence of the work, a masterpiece. It seems foolish to try and reproduce such perfection.

I feel lonely now. Like I can never pick up a book and be immersed in it as such. I must sound really stupid, feeling lonely because I finished a book. But that’s how I feel; or at least, as close to how I feel as I can describe it.

I should go now. I have homework to finish, and it has to be completed, somehow, even when my mind is clearly elsewhere.

All is well. No, not really.
The Edna Man

All the Time in the World

Since FPS isn't given official status teachers can't excuses us from lessons/CCAs so we have to stay up to 10pm everyday not including BoB and I'm sleeping at 2pm which is only four hours of sleep. I fell asleep today during my Chinese test and didn't even do the summary. Maybe I'm just the one who's weak because there isn't anyone else breaking down.

Goodnight
The Edna Man

FINALLY

At last! Someone from the Student Council has finally got back to me about the socks letter I wrote way back when the stupid idea was even implemented. Here's a copy of the letter the Student Council sent to Higher Authorities™ about it, with a little running commentary.

Report on Socks Purchase

Implementation of the socks purchasing, as expected, was met with some amount of resentment from the student body.
Surprise! I mean, oh really? They did? That's quite surprising.

However, due to the nature of the implementation, students who complied with the socks rules were still required to purchase socks. This antagonised the students who felt that they were still being punished, by being made to purchase the socks, even though they complied with the school rules.
"Punished" is an understatement here. I'd go for "oppressed" or "coerced".

The Student Council appreciates the fact that socks purchases cannot be retroactively refunded, it would like to voice the concern held by some regarding this issue.
Why no refund? All part of the plan, dears.

We sincerely hope that such situations can be avoided in the future, by ensuring that disipline initiatives be targeted at offenders rather than the school population in general.
It better be avoided in the future. Hear hear I say!

As a note we have attached a letter from a year 4 student, expressing similar sentiments to the Student Council.
WHAT?!

Although as a year 4 student, he is not technically within the Student's Council's jurisdiction, his feedback is still applicable to the predicament facing IB students.
Great. Now they know who I am. I am so dead x_x

Well, there you have it. Something has been done, at least. Hooray for Student Council! Just that now, if you have a problem with the school, you're on your own unless you can be bothered to wait until Year 5.

On a side note, Shuan had this very interesting idea about a giant school Mech thing, like Transformers but of entire buildings. He's drawing it now or something. It sounds like a pretty cool idea.

Homework's overloading right now, especially since FPS is coming along. My mom's not very happy that I have to stay back at night. Oh well.

Advocate of socky justice,
The Edna Man

Can you say BLACKMAIL?

This is the last straw. Well, it wouldn't be if they just stopped at the socks thing, but they didn't. So this better be the last straw, or else.

It sounded like a very normal thing. School drama night, selling tickets, mantinee show, yada yada yada. Then: "I've got word from high that we have to set an assignment for this."

Can you say BLACKMAIL?

I mean, tickets are $15 each. If the school is so desperate to sell out their seatings, why not WORK A BIT and ADVERTISE, instead of blackmailing students with F grades if they don't go. This is what Mr Wong was talking about when he said that people can't learn in a fearful environment, and, well, apparently the education system has propagated young minds with the idea of GRADES IS POWER to the extent that now we're being blackmailed with them.

Correct me if I'm wrong, please. I'd be very glad to know I'm wrong.

Prefect duty today was also very. I don't know how to describe it. They called down 11 people, and half an hour before duty starts, only half the amount were needed. And for what? Clearing up after the event. And I got home at like, 10.15 and missed Heroes because of that.

Today in the MPac room Gideon was intellectually sparring with Alwyn. It was so darn funny XD

Kk, sleep now. Really tired.

Not doing the assignment even it exists,
The Edna Man

Dawn of a New Era

It's back to school again. Shame how the holidays just fly by in a fla- wait. We had a holiday?

Anyway, Mr Andrew Wong, Lang Arts Teacher extraordinaire, just revealed his new plans for the semester today. It was most unbelievable. After all these years, we finally get a teacher who wants to focus on the learning and not the grades. FINALLY. I can't wait to see whether he pulls it off. If he does, it would me like, a milestone in our education system.

Doubt it will work though. End of the day, some big guy with more power is going to expound his values of good grades = lots of money/no con-camp into everyone and Mr Wong's great values will be lost on the ears of those who live in fear. Sigh.

Anyway, I haven't posted for a long time; there's Canada photos which I have yet to upload and a Chinese compo workshop which I went for and I haven't blogged about yet. Probably never will, but that's procrastination for ya.

I-don't-care-if-I-get-an-F9-ingly,
The Edna Man