Of Remedial and Music

13:41 / by x u e z h e n g / comment(s) (3)

Since I have a free period to spare, I shall update my blog.


Basically the term has not been good for me. Yes, there were nice moments, but basically the academic component of my school life had turned around drastically.

I was back from Beijing one week after schooling, and barely after another one/two weeks of schooling, I went on THIMUN in the Netherlands, seems like distractions had taken its toll(s) on me. AND, it seems that remedial is awaiting me in Term 2... I failed my Biology with an E8 and I am not proud of it. I have a double B4 in Mathematics, and the rest aren't glorious score too. To sum up, not an A1 so far. When I walked into the library, I met with Ms Cheong, who told me that my geography scores were bad, and that I was "dead". And looking at the remaining subjects that have not been returned (Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Literature), it seems that an ominous fate awaits me.

What I have realised for last year, is that I have been relying a lot on my languages to pull up my MSGs. Although I don't score A1s for my sciences and humanities, I often rely on the 3 languages and occasionally Literature to help out with the scores. Also, last year I was in a lower band Maths class so there are two more A1s there.

But these are just excuses I have been giving myself, it is not just the language thing. Thing is, I compared to 2008 and realised that this year, I do not really listen in class, I do not submit work on time, I procrastinate, I youtube, I use my laptop. These are the real reasons why I failed this term.

From the mugging kid I was in Secondary 1, I had lowered my guard so much, for enjoyment, for relaxation, for more happiness. Just look where I've come to, look where it has brought me to. Am I more miserable than before? I don't think so. But I am not exactly happier than before either. I am not super smart so I don't have to study for an A1. I do not have a mind for maths and science (and probably geography [that I constantly flunk] which is also a branch of science). I have some foundation in languages which are probably my better subjects. But my true interest lies nowhere near.

I want to live in a world of music. A world where the academics just fade behind us. But it seems impossible. Talk about the Singapore Plan/Singapore Dream. The somewhat similar cultures in Singapore and Malaysia had taught us better. Don't study and you end up a sweeper, a trash collector, a musician playing on the roadside; study and you become an doctor, a lawyer, a professor. But what is with this academic thing anyway. Do I want to be a part of this headache? Will I live the second half of my life in a cubicle filled with never-ending paperwork?

It's all about passion and reality again. I really wish that there was a  clear choice for me. I do not ace particularly in any academic subject. Yet I am very interested in the aesthetics. For example, music, food, drama, film, philosophy... Chern Yuen told me a few weeks back not to worry as passions can change ie in his brother's case. Well, for now, it seems that I really need a lot of help to change this attitude of mine. An inspiring teacher perhaps, a caring mentor. Otherwise, I just don't see it...

Talking about pursuing your passion, how many people actually do that, is it wise to do that? Have we not seen people who failed in the process, only to realise that they have to live in reality and not ideals. I was told by a teacher who understands me and whom I admire that I am a very idealistic person, too idealistic in fact. It seems that I have this crazy idea that the world must be perfect, and that there is no evil on earth. Maybe I am naive, or am I just a Dreamer (mypersonality.info)? I really want to try pursuing my passion, to ignore the stares that people give when they know what you are trying to do. But I fear. I fear the "I-told-you-so"s, I fear the laughters and looks people give once I fail.

I have an idea. Zi Kang and I actually came out with this idea. Zi Kang told me, that there are many people out there willing to learn music, but not in its strictest, theoretical form. He was one, and he expressed that his greatest regrets so far in life was not learning piano, and not joining band. So about the idea, it was to open a music school, one that does not follow the boundaries set by the prominent music boards in the world, one that teaches music to whoever is willing to learn, to anyone who just wants to know how to play their favourite songs and sing along. It will be a very flexible system, I'll use my play-by-ear techniques to educate, though I understand some do not have the perfect pitch, and in fact, for those who just want to enjoy the sounds of music, they don't even have to know how to read a score, all is just by ear, and by memory. And whoallah, you can play and sing along with your favourite songs. This idea can be developed in so many ways, I can even expand to teach classical music if requested (as long the person is not too fussy so as to make a prerequisite of at least a diploma).

Zikang will be my business partner, and student :), and we discussed Engkeat being our mascot (LOL which we said was bound to bring business to greater heights), and Chernyuen being some calculation person haha. The idea really got into me and I thought of this idea for days. It seemed good, but I wasn't sure. To me, this idea is not that idealistic, but to some maybe yes. Where do we even get our money to start business? Once again, my fears stop me. Reality jumps back (and remedial next term jumps back into mind). But I am still not giving up hope on this idea. We'll see where society takes me...

Okay, shall not continue with my boring dreamy talk. Till next time guys...

The One With The Namibian Boobies

08:58 / by x u e z h e n g / comment(s) (5)

I'd like to change the direction of where my posts are going. Maybe a cute conference chronicle (CCC) can cheer (5cs now) this blog a little? So here goes the juicy tale:

Firstly, some background information you guys need to know. Hwa Chong is representing the delegation of Myanmar, and has neighbours of Mozambique (French School) and Namibia (German School). [oh and apparently I was told there is a French and German School somewhere, which reads FAGS ;D]

So around Day 4 of THIMUN, we were meeting up to go out. So we were discussing about the conference, i.e the weird analogies some delegates make in reference to the bad resolutions ("this resolution is like Britney Spears, it's crazy and wild, AND we need to get rid of it", also there was one analogising the male reproductive organ) and interesting speeches (one involving the singing of a full Allah song, and one involving agreesive adressing of the house etc).

Suddenly, Cai Yong, told us something that the Namibian delegate sitting next told him. He said that she said that her friend told her (i know, complicated but how else to phrase it) that someone from the General Assembly kept staring at her breasts and butt.(There are 6 committees in the GA, plus other [unrelated to topic] Commissions like Environmental, Human Rights etc.) She went on to say that it was staring the whole time when in session. And that her friend was too afraid to confront this supposed "Myanmar guy".

There were immediately 4 suspects. Out of the 6 GA committees, our school only had four representatives, and 2 GA committees had no Myanmar delegates.
First suspect: GA1, Seow Yongzhi
Second suspect: GA2, Norman Julius Wanto
Third suspect: GA3, Yours truly (I know that you are gasping now, yeah I agree, it's so impossible that it's me. Thanks for the trust in me anyways. Okay that was rather thick-skinned)
Fourth suspect: GA4, Daniel Soo
(GA5 and GA6 were unrepresented)

So after some serious discussion on who and some not-so-serious ones, we (including Ms Tan Yew Hui and Mr Euguene Chua) came to a conclusion that Daniel was the most probable one (haha no surprise there). So we made some jokes about it and laughed it off, cos we all knew that we did NOT do it. In fact, we were so confused/bemused by that little incident that we had to rethink everything we have done, consciously and sub-consciously. Apparently all denied to the supposed "crime".

On Friday, at the GA plenary session (where all 6 GA committees meet up in a large hall), Norman told me that his Namibian friend also told him the same thing, but here's the thing. There was an extra detail on how that Burmese delegate not only stared at the girl's breasts, but also fell asleep on it (whether on purpose or not this wasn't mentioned). Oooh, complication to the story.

So more debate came. Who did it? Who was the possible culprit? Then now the juiciest detail from Norman. Apparently his Namibian friend told him which committee the culprit was from -- Special Committee 2 -- Tze Liang!?! We were like "huh", quite absurd what... Yeah, and Tze Liang also denied it, after recalling everything that he did (what we all did was mainly debating on resolutions and passing/failing them).

Over dinner, we discussed and also joked about it yet again. Next detail from Norman: the Namibian girl was going to confront the culprit that night at the THIMUN dance. So we will finally know who did it! But it turned out that THIMUN dance was rather smooth sailing, we met no Namibians and everything was relatively okay. All 5 suspects (counting in the new suspect) got through the dance night.

The whole "mystery" unravelled just today, Saturday, (though I am typing this midnight, so technically yesterday). A Namibian delegate took a written note from the "boob victim" to Desmond, and asked him to pass it to the culprit. The contents of the highly sarcastic note is as follows:

"Dear perfect-man specimen,

You are so hot, you tease. I truly noticed all your stares in session but I was way too nervious to act on it. You totally have me

SPEECHLESS!!!

I'm so heartbroken that i will never see you again, but I just couldn't hold back these words any longer. Invite me to Singapore so maybe we could be together and complete both of our dreams.

Love times a million, <3>"

And for those who do not believe, here's evidence.


FRONT PAGE


BACK PAGE

We read in awe and in confusion. We were totally SPEECHLESS about the note. That was when the culprit was revealed. Desmond told everyone, that apparently Rachel was the Namibian delegate of GA6. Which was weird because Myanmar would not even be present there, so she must be sitting with another "M" country. So there was technically NO CULPRIT. Heng ah...

A point raised was that, how could she not know what country sat next to her even after 4 days, and the fact that she even knows that we are from Singapore... I mean roll calling would have made it obvious that there was no Myanmar... But we had no answers to the questions we raised. So we had to accept the wrong impression we had supposedly made... And we all agreed that this is something that we are going to look back on and laugh so hard on.

-The End-

Anti-climatic wasn't it. Haha, that was precisely how I wanted to write this. If you think otherwise, sorry if I failed to make it anti-climatic to you :) My writing skills are not exactly the best. So that marks the end of the tale "The One With The Namibian Boobies". Hope you guys enjoyed it. And to all: I AM enjoying Holland. Just went ice-skating (in the winter) in Amsterdam and it was really great. Don't wanna go back, but I have to :( And since I do have to go back, I'll see you guys in a bit. Bye!

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