Sublime Flight

back at last

2010-03-16T23:04:00.003+08:00

I want to create a new blog! :D

School was so busy, I wonder how our seniors survived. Choir camp... honestly, I cannot say whether it went okay or not? And I wonder how the others felt about the camp. Hope the choir has been more bonded through the camp. Workshop... hmm, mixed feelings. And oral? Was kind of random. Holidays have begun, yay!

I shall leave a complete post to these another time!

back for a moment

2010-02-10T22:59:00.003+08:00

You know, this is one of the rare moments I look at my handbook and realise that I have completed all my work before 11pm. And there are no tests tomorrow or anything urgent that I have to do, so I check again - seriously, how can I finish my work so early? And then it's true, so I came here to blog. Anyways, I will be very very fast!

The important and non-important highlights of my life (and random thoughts of the future) in point form:

Today, I passed the choir auditions! Yay!
Just completed two days of a choir conducting workshop! :D
We won the ACS(I) Life Sciences Symposium!
I scored 25/30 for my first ever Maths test! Which is a super great accomplishment!
School work has been overwhelming, but true enough, everything will fall into place.
Chinese New Year + Valentine's is on the same day this year ... and it's a few days away!
X reminds of a certain someone, which is kind of ... not good!
1 month to Choir Camp.

Yay, and most of them has been good stuff! But mostly, school work has been overwhelming ... and I think my favourite subject as of now is Biology! Shockingly, surprisingly! And there are many random thoughts that lie flying around, that I do not know how to say, but never mind.

Goodbye people! And Good Luck for everything! :D

sunshine after rain

2010-01-24T22:10:00.002+08:00

It's actually been two weeks since I've blogged! And I've been kinda busy... and right now actually, I should be heading to sleep! So I shall summarise the 2 weeks in point form!

School's been busy really!
There's Chemistry and E Maths test next week!
My CAP Portfolio needs some serious progress!
I love "The Shower" by Edward Elgar! *my God will give a sunshine after rain*
ACS(I)'s final lap... and we're starting a new marathon?
Chinese homework is a crazy lot!
Darn it, I think this is serious!!! Howww!
Okay, gotta go! Bye!

Shall see if I have time to blog this week!

But here's The Shower by Edward Elgar!

term one week one

2010-01-10T17:57:00.002+08:00

The first week of school has flew past! The week, has been more or less busy. Although, as Jingyin puts it, "It's just the beginning." And it's true. I foresee my workload increase by tenfold or something, at least.

So, first week of school! Have not been eating much for recess, since recess is now reduced by 45 minutes and queues have (with no logical explanation) increased (and never really seem to disappear until the last minutes). I have eaten lunch at 4pm twice in five days. And gosh, lesson time is long. But at least for the first week, lessons seem enjoyable. I guess that's because we're still working at a slow pace and that the first few topics are rather easy, kinda. And as much as I hope that the pace will remain this slow, I guess it won't. I wonder how long I can last before homework/ projects/ tests get the better of me.

302'10 is kind of a quiet class. Maybe because we don't know each other well enough, yet. But I guess it's really really different from 202'09. I shall not elaborate further, but yes, they are very different classes. And we have many HODs for our lessons. I think.

However, I still think there is a lot of homework I have not done. I shall list them out

Memorise 8 pages of di zi gui
Literature diagnostic test (half-done)
English diagnostic test (tomorrow!)
Chinese Article x1
Chinese Letter Writing

Actually that's a lot, a lot due to procrastination. But I shall memorise the final 3 pages of di zi gui tonight and revise tomorrow! I shall finish the other half of Lit tomorrow! And there's an EL diagnostic test tomorrow, sooo yeah. Nothing much for that. I shall complete the CL article sometime this week. And I shall do CL writing this Tuesday. On top of other homework that will arrive next week.

I am exhausted everyday I come back from school. Actually school can be quite enjoyable if only we didn't have so many things to do. And who am I to complain that we have so many things to do, when others have more work to do. I hope I can survive Sec 3. But honestly, I do not know whether so many subjects will help me at all, for the future.

And Choir learnt a new song, Exultate Deo! At first, it did sound kind of weird but then I guess it's sounding much better now. In fact it sounds like a nice song.

Tired and procrastinating. I am dreading school now.

Blog another time!

i am sleepy

2010-01-06T22:39:00.002+08:00

I am tired and sleepy and want to say many things. Of which I'm shall blog more about it this weekend. But just a gist.

I am sleepy. Very. And have been feeling so since school started.
I need to get some encouragement from maths, gosh.
I think certain things should be certain ways.
My class is 302. (And I shall talk about my class!)
My teachers are good, mostly.
I really feel sleepy.

I shall be off to sleep! More this weekend as I don't think I'll be blogging for Thursday or Friday! :/ Maybe Friday night!

2010: happy new year!

2010-01-01T18:56:00.002+08:00

My very first post for the New Year! And, as you would have noticed, a new blogskin for a brand new year! Although 2010 has only happened for around 19 hours or so, I really feel that 2010 is so going to be an exciting year!

Reasons to Love 2010:

Don't you just get this nice feeling when you see that number? Like, you go "Woah, it's a new year already!" and you feel totally refreshed that the year is going to be awesome!
I have New Year Resolutions that I resolve to accomplish to a certain extent! I'll keep a journal of the resolutions that tracks my progress and at the same time add in new resolutions and wishes (haven't really penned down any wishes though)!
It's a new decade! And that's always something to celebrate!
All the celebrations that happened last year are going to happen again! You know, like Chinese New Year, birthdays and Christmas (which I'm sure will be in a flash)!
It will be exciting to see the New Year unfold! With all the well wishes circulating around, I'm sure the New Year shall be great!

And I'm glad to say that I've started on some of my resolutions on the first day of the New Year! I hope this motivation goes on for the rest of the year!

Okay I'm going off for dinner now! Shall blog more next time! And probably I'll share some New Year Resolutions on this blog! Meanwhile, I just happened to love this choral piece a lot! I think it's VJC Choir's choice piece for SYF 2009! I really like this song a lot! Hope we can learn this song in choir!

eve of 2010

2009-12-31T17:01:00.003+08:00

It's currently New Year's Eve! Just a day before the new decade opens for so many things to take place and happen! The thought of entering a new year scares and excites (as I feel about many things too, actually) and I think I'm going to reflect quite a lot here.

2009 has been fast. It's been a year that I've actually been through quite a lot, another year that I thoroughly enjoyed and so much more. School workload increased since Sec One. And it's endless hours of mugging + projects. Sometimes you'll never know why we have to study certain subjects even if it doesn't help you in your career. 2009, there has been a maturity in my thinking (since Sec One, I've been thinking really differently.) There are many things that I have relied on faith to get through, and have gotten through. I still have many things that I am not sure whether I am going to do or not. I'm more or less at around the same standard for my academics, so yeah. Ties have bonded between family and friends. The year has been great. And I'm thankful for that.

Reflecting on the December holidays. This by far, I could say is one of the best holidays I have had ever. Firstly, there wasn't a heavy load of homework that was issued unlike the previous year. Secondly, there was going with the Choir to Bratislava and achieving a Gold! Thirdly, there is quality time spent with family. It seems as if I just completely broke off the rat race. It's a really tiring thing to be mugging all day long, for something probably you don't even feel for. And then it's really refreshing when you can take a break from all these. It's a totally fresh experience when you don't really have to care for your books anymore. And it's even more refreshing to be able to spend time at places you like to be at. And for me that's at home and when we're having choir. And I really have forgotten about that busy school life. It's going to return next year, though. But it's been a fun holiday! Not very much fulfilling, but life is great!

And now I'm going to reflect on what Weijun and I talked about just now. I really wonder why we study certain subjects when we aren't really going to need it for our career. I wonder why I'm really going to study so hard to get into JC. Then study so hard to get into University. And come out with a piece of paper that I don't really want to use as my career. It's something that society frowns upon. Not having a degree is like committing a crime in Singapore. Wouldn't it just be perfect if we all did what we wanted to? I mean, we shouldn't always conform to what a society expects of us to be. When I was young I remembered I promised never to work for money. And I still take that stand. I'm going to work for what I'm passionate about and not about the money. Although I agree that we require money, to a certain extent. But then it'll be best if both could co-exist together.

I just happened to pass by a blog that wrote about the past 40 years of Singapore is "nothing but a mistake". Because Singaporeans of today are no longer fighting like our forefathers did. Our forefathers fought for independence, for change, for so many things. But we're just a generation of clones that follow the norms of society and conform. I don't think that's what happiness is about. Is this generation just one that follows, or will it be one that brings about bold change and more individuality? I so want the world to be as I see it.

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

Mahatma Gandhi

Are we going to be the change we want to see in the world? Or are we just going to leave it as it is and hope someone else would do it?

"Time is fleeting. Do you want life to be as fleeting as time is? In the next year, you're going to be jaded by schoolwork. Are we going to forget about what the happy moments? 2010 is going to be a year of change."

Ms Quek

Or something along those lines. I think they mean a lot. Time is fleeting, a moment passes by so quickly that when we realise this, it is gone. Next year's going to be a tough year, and I really hope I can cope with the work without being jaded by it and just sentence my life to mugging or something. I want to enjoy life amongst all these. And that's one reason I enjoy choir so much. Change? Yes, we can. I believe.

So, talking about the new year. It's going to be a tough one, as mentioned. Academically, I really want to do well. (Actually I'm not sure why, probably I'm used to what the society wants me to do at least in this aspect.) I've written a few (a lot) of New Year Resolutions and I hope I can meet all of them. It ranges from doing well in academics, to singing better in choir. And health, and recreational and so much more. I hope it helps to make frequent reference to the New Year Resolutions!

There's Orientation + Performance for Sec Ones next week! And I hope we get some good juniors and that we perform well on that day! Anyway, after attending the Inaugural Choral Elite concert last night, it just strengthened my desire to enter Victoria Junior College Choir! I really really want to get in, whether it is by merit or by DSA. It's going to be tough, but I'll work hard!

Shall be counting down at home with lots of food!

Thank you everyone for making my 2009 so enjoyable. And I hope, for everyone out there, that 2010 is going to be an excellent year!

Happy New Year! :D

Shawn

just blogging

2009-12-26T23:30:00.003+08:00

I spent my entire holidays devoted to wanting to do things, but never really getting to do them anyway. At least I've managed to read through what seems like neverending pages of social studies, history, biology and literature. I haven't really read through chemistry nor physics and I believe I'll get to them a few day before school reopens. Am not really intending to read either maths because they make me want to sleep. The numbers are... scary.

I'm wondering if I can survive next year. It's going to be a tougher year, and I know it. I'm going to for the first time, take 9 very heavy subjects and I'm going to expect myself to do well in every one, though it might not be possible. I promise myself: Effective Time Management. And I really hope I can do it. I'm probably going to spend time in school till late afternoon, be back home by evening. And really start doing stuff productively before I go to sleep... and I want to go to sleep early.

And although I'm like only Sec 3 next year, I'm kind of scared for O Levels. And I'm not sure why.

Christmas has just passed. It's been another Christmas for me. And honestly, at the end of the year, I'm really thankful for the great year that passed. That everything has been going very smoothly - even if at first it does not, eventually it still did. I am really thankful. I hope next year would be as smooth-sailing too.

Choir in 4 days! I can't wait for choir, I mean... I want to feel the kind of sing and feel happy thing again. Wonder what we'll be doing for Choir that day.

So yes, a holiday has passed. A year has passed. And next year is going to be a whole new challenge. I'm having mixed feelings for next year. And I feel that I need to start doing something now if I want to get somewhere in life.

Okay, shall blog another day!

Shawn

five days to xmas; ten days to xmc!

2009-12-20T19:25:00.002+08:00

I'm going to write this post as fast as possible! Thus, it shall be in random point forms in almost no particular order!

Class Posting is taking way too long! I hope the Streaming Comm realised!
However, it would be alright if the CL Dept doesn't post the Holiday h/w! :O
Gotta head over to school tmr!
There's Choir BBQ on Wednesday! :D
It's 5 days to Christmas!!! :D
And 10 days to Choir!!! :D
I hope next year would be a good year! I've written some New Year Resolution! :D
Last-minute-homework-finishing-plan: 21st Dec - Do prev. 2 weeks article; Check CL h/w and read on the spot; 2 more articles shall wait for the last 2 weeks of December ('cos December has 5 weeks! HAHA!)
Photojournalism: 22/12 - Yay! Look through camera, hopefully upload photos! And choose nice pictures for Photojournalism! Gotta do my Learning Journey booklet thing too. NEATLY.
ACS(I): Bibilography and PPT shall be done on 22/12
Have spent my previous days Youtube-ing choral music... :D
Okay, that's about it!

Righttt, so I've more or less planned out something. And planning for things ahead really does help because you won't be caught doing EVERYTHING in a single day.

Okay so enjoy what's left of the holidays, people! :D

Shawn

xmchorale: bratislava and vienna

2009-12-09T22:44:00.003+08:00

It was an absolutely fantastic time with XMChorale at Bratislava and Vienna! Throughout the 9 days, I think the choir really bonded together even more, and I guess that helps for future choir practices in the sense that everyone will enjoy practice more and stuff. Our practices definitely paid off with the choir winning Gold, being the winners of the Choirs up to 16 years category! I mean, it was really unexpected, it felt so unreal. But we were winners of our category and have done everyone proud! Europe is nice (as always) and I miss Europe now... the cold air, the scenery, the people, the singing. Really missed the times when we were together as a choir (though it was merely 6 hours ago.) Being unaccustomed to Europe, now I am trying to adjust back to Singapore. I miss everyone in Singapore too. I guess I'll take the weekends to post photos and blog more about the trip (if I am not too lazy?) ... But right now I'm sleep, gotta go to sleep.

XMCHORALE!
(you won't understand how much this word actually means to me)

Goodnight!

take care people, and all the best xmchorale!

2009-12-01T16:57:00.004+08:00

I'll be at Bratislava/ Vienna from 1st December (which is today!) till 9th December (around 5pm)!

So, please do not attempt to sms or call me! Else you shall pay the price, literally!

Take care people! And Choir people see you at the airport tonight! :D

All the Best, XMCHORALE! :D

it's tonight!!!

2009-12-01T13:52:00.002+08:00

It's tonight!!! Choir's heading off to Bratislava for the International Festival of Advent and Christmas Music! And it feels so fast, everything just came too fast. It's already 1st December. Slightly past 9pm, I'll be at the airport. And around 11pm, I will be in the plane. And then we'll take off for a 13 hours flight all the way to Munich. And then transit and stuff, and then we'll be in Bratislava! Practising along the way, on the streets and everything. Opening concert, competition and closing concert. Touring, Sight-seeing, performances. Christmas Markets. I don't know what else! Okay.

I'm having mixed feelings now! Excitement + Nervousness!

I hope choir is ready, after months (I think?) of practice, let's just sing our best there! :D And then we'll come back and do our school/ family/ country/ everyone proud! :D

Everyone here (in Singapore), take good care of yourself! Gonna miss so many ppl here!

Now I've gotta check whether I've packed everything!!!

Blog later!!! :D

sounds like repitition

2009-11-27T22:47:00.003+08:00

Six days since I blogged! (That long? o.o)

I think I'm going to blog about the same few things again. Let's start with ACS(I). The experimentation phase is over, and now it's the report writing... which is kind of tedious. And on another separate (but kind of related) matter: Am I just too naive? Or are some things really supposed to be that serious. Okay, hope we get through the next round! Finish report by Mid-Dec? :O

Choir. There's one more practice left (in Singapore). And then a couple more in Bratislava. We need "combined sectionals"? Ahh, but I think we aren't all that ready yet. Hmm, NAS workshop was fruitful, I guess. Ms Lim gave her advice and stuff to the choir. And then... the performance. I thought we performed better than we were practising, which is... good? But Ngee Ann's sound was large, o.o due to the large choir? Still, 4 more days to Bratislava! And we'll take all these practices seriously! :D

Tomorrow's Open House! :O And let's hope it'll be a greater success than the previous one!

Hmm, I realised that November just flew past me o.o December says hello with a freezing cold European accent! Btw, the weather's been cold recently...

Not sure what else to blog for now, next time maybe? :D

ten more days!

2009-11-21T15:56:00.002+08:00

So, it's been 3 days. Hmm, and 10 days to Bratislava! That pretty much equates to four more practices and one more workshop? Well, not including the two (I think?) practices we have in Bratislava. It's gonna be such a new experience, and so exciting! :)

I'm just reminded of Holiday Homework, anyways. The newspaper article x4 should be easy, kinda, and I shall start doing the first one... sometime this week. I'll leave the other three to December. And Chinese... sigh. Haven't read any segment of that green book but still, the homework won't be up till sometime mid-December, right? :O

Being online is boring. I have many hours more till Dinner, and more hours of nothingness till I sleep.

Today's Agenda:

Complete ACS(I) Report
Read History TB

Okay, bye! :D

Pasigin

2009-11-18T22:47:00.005+08:00

I'm dedicating an entire post to Pasigin!!!

by UST Alumni Singers

This is personally my favourite version on YouTube, they've got good sound and their 'kla's are nice!

by NTU CAC Choir

It's Mr Yong conducting NTU! :O

by Anderson Alumni Chorus

The speed is fast and they're so lively and so enjoyable to listen to!

And they're many more versions of Pasigin on YouTube! :D

have a little faith

2009-11-18T22:33:00.002+08:00

Listening to Pasigin as a I write this post! :O

I decided to appeal, by the way. I know it's kinda unexpected (is it?) but yeah, I've made my choice and there's no room for any regrets. Life is a straight road that goes forward, so that's the only way I can go. Forward.

Have a little faith and things will work out fine. (And that's a title by Mitch Albom too, gotta get that book soon!) One of the things that keep me going in life is that faith I keep with me whenever I do anything and I know and believe that faith will bring me through all this. And the world needs a little more faith now, if we want to keep it going. :D

All the best to all of you and have faith! :D

Shawn

P.S. I'm going to post Pasigin videos in my next post!!!

in point form

2009-11-17T21:24:00.003+08:00

Okay, Hi People! (Don't think there are any though!) Because I feel lazy to type in bulky paragraphs (and it's kind of difficult to read), I decided to blog this post in point form. And of course it would be kind of random. :D

There was Choir today! (Keeping comments to myself)
I think I just found the answerrr! :D
Listened to several versions of the four songs, again!
Just wrote a 1, 634-word affirmation!
Realised that Bratislava is in exactly 2 weeks!
@hellokaely, that conversation was random... but don't tell anyone! (I'll keep quiet too!)
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are
Everything happens for a reason
The upper arm of my arm aches a little, due to the jab!
And by the way, the jab felt so quick! So I was just being paranoid!
So if I'm paranoid, am I just being paranoid for the more important things in life?
Someone teach me how to understand how things work
Wonder how you'll react ...
Loving to play this role now, the pain pays off in a sense :O
I want to sleep early today... :D Like, before 11pm? And wake up a little later! :D
Life is great, I can have 9 over hours of sleep!
Tomorrow will be a better day!
Shall look through choir scores on the piano tomorrow (It's been awhile since I've been at the piano playing)
So long there's faith, things will take place, right? :D
What shall I do?
I'm going to try my very best on making my life work out :D
There's Choir tomorrow! :D
Goooodnight people! :D

through a different glass

2009-11-16T22:28:00.001+08:00

"We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are."

Passed by this quote at Body Worlds, and found it quite inspiring. I guess personally I believe that everyone does things and say things and have certain perspectives on things based on their experiences. So no one is really right to saying what is what, right? (Such a paradox, am I even to say that I am right.) However it's just my way to see things as I am.

Gonna take the flu jab only tomorrow, cos I didn't know that the doctor was away today! But he'll be back tomorrow, and so then, all my hard work for today (to get mentally prepared for the jab!) is like... fruitless. Because I have to save it till tomorrow, ouch. And people say it's like an "ant bite" but I don't quite get that expression.

Choir... hmm, this doesn't feel correct for an international competition? What more can I say? Just hope that tomorrow will be a better day, 'cos it's barely 15 days to Bratislava, and that translates to barely 5 practices (in Singapore that is.)

Streaming results, and I'm not sure whether to actually say it's good or bad news. I got in 2bBE. And I am seriously stuck on whether to rejoice for this combination or mourn (won't do this). Because I know what I want (but do I seriously?) I'm not intending to appeal... at least not yet. Probably won't, so yeah.

I need to get started on something. So that all can be fine and everything will go well :)

Goodbye and goodnight people, there's Choir tmr! :D

Another day for another blog

2009-11-15T17:05:00.000+08:00

Welcome to my new blog... again. I know for the hundredth time, but I promise I'd be serious to sustain this blog for a long enough period of time!

Okay, so the reason I choose to create blogs, at primary six, it was more of a since everyone had a blog thing. But I guess now the purpose has changed. More of like a space to connect to the people out there? And in desperate situations, when I have no one to talk to, or that just no one can listen to, I have this place? Though now I have Twitter! So, yeah! But I'm never ever able to get my full feelings across through my blog (and I don't think anyone could, yeah?) It's more of a me blogging in circles thing or my words would be masked up in a metaphor? Or something.

First post, so let me recount what's in my life now. Two weeks of holidays have passed by so quickly. I feel like the entire 2 weeks I have been slacking. Considering that I have not penned down Holiday Resolutions from I am not sure how many trillion years ago, my holidays will go to fate. So I have to write them soon, and I'm going to set a deadline! 18 November 2009! Okay, by then some of my resolutions will be up here! Yay!

Most of my holidays have been spent on two things: Choir and ACS(I). Choir, I never minded having to spend time in choir. I can have 7 days of choir a week and not complain! 16 days to Bratislava! It seems so near, it's almost just 2 weeks! I don't think we're really prepared yet... but I guess in this course of 2 weeks we can improve the situation! It'll be super if we come back with a Gold, to our school's name! And the trip briefing thing was fun! I mean, a parent kinda requested us to sing a song for them before we leave for the trip? I could feel that when we sang there, it felt more alive? Or was it just me? Anyways, good luck choir ppl for Bratislava! :D We'll do our best!

For ACS(I), it's experimenting all the way. It's been 15 meetings, I guess, since the start. From the first day of dust bombs and crazy levitation, now it's one fixed idea. Plastic making has been kind of a success. Tomorrow we'll extract starch from other sources... And the report's due by tonight. In fact, I think my report is bad. Too beat around the bush. Hope the entire project would be a success though!

Class chalet tomorrow, am not sure whether I'd go first. Or should I go on Tuesday? 'Cos tomorrow, I have ACS(I) meeting early in the morning, Choir till afternoon and a flu jab later. Many people have taken the flu jab... and their reactions have varied! I hope it'd just be a moment and then the jab is done and I hope it has no side-effects. By the way, I don't think I'll eat fried food from today onwards... am I even allowed to!?

Okayyy, so there's Choir tomorrow! :D Which is great, after like 2 days of no choir!

So, gotta run for dinner! Bye!