Snacking & Blogging

Students who know me well enough know that I have a sweet tooth (though I don't eat a lot of sweets often, but I do enjoy sweet stuff) and love to snack. Challenge is to maintain a healthy BMI and keep fit while enjoying some sinful snacks.

Students who walk past the tables outside the staff room will notice that I tend to "hang" out at the tabels with snacks/food to do marking these days. Well, when that happens, it is a clear indication that I am prepared to do quite a big load of marking or that marking the work will be very tedious. Yes, I will need to snack once in a while when I feel stressed marking.

Some people will also look at the frequency and timing which I blog. Since my blog tends to be pretty wordy, I am sure some readers out there will feel that I have so much free time to blog, or that I simply eat away my resting hours to waste time blogging. Well, a careful reader will note that when I blog later at night, it's usually because I need to speak my mind, vent my frustrations or take my mind off things for a while. Sure, it is not as theraputic as driving a car on the expressway at night, but at least it's an outlet for me to vent my frustrations.

Now that I have blogged, it's time to go back to my work. Now where is the button that reverses time? Hmmm...

Killer Beans

Came across this funny video on youtube, hope it brings fun and laughter to those who watch it.

Sparring Partner

Sometimes, I wish I have a good sparring partner. Why not put what I have learnt about taiji to the test and get myself a physical workout at the same time? Unfortunately, things are not as easy as they look.

Firstly, the sparring partner has to be a male (obviously). He should also have learnt some form of martial arts/wushu/ self defence skills and should be around my height and weight. And most importantly, he is interested to improve himself as well through sparring! I long for the day when I master 推手 and spar regularly with the buddy and find myself improving.

In other aspects of life, we all need "sparring partners". True friends who will spur us on, who will motivate us to push ourselves beyond our limits and not give up. Such people are hard to find, and definitely worth keeping. Also, they will be the best people to tell us our short-comings and mistakes so that we can continue to improve ourselves.

March Break

This is the term 1 break. The time after term 1 where we all break. (pun intended, for all those wols people out there...)

Mon: Drop by to open CO store early. Marking.
Tue: Finalised a survey form format with colleague. Plan SYF arrangements. Meeting in the afternoon.
Wed: Taiji, File check, Marking, Swimming, Buffet Dinner
Thur: Taiji, Chasing students for work, marking late submission. CO practice.
Fri: Taiji, Sourcing for house-warming gift, Lunch Appointment, Attend Band Concert
Sat: Taiji, CO, IPPT, Dinner Appointment
Sun: Taiji, Rest and recuperate.

SYF! It's fixed on 3rd April 2007!

Yes, I went for the balloting today and got the FIRST slot on 3rd April, which means the orchestra must report to Singapore Conference Hall by 8am, which means the whole orchestra must reach school by 6am and leave school by 7am. The only consolation we get is that there are no gold award schools before us, so the judges will listen to us with a fresh mind. Not forgetting our dear Bukit Panjang High School, who is also playing but 2 schools later than us. So we get to hear both schools' result before we head back to school.

As I will be away in Taiwan for reservist training, Mrs Lim will be the overall-in-charge for this year's SYF Central Judging. She will need 10 helpers to help carry the instruments and adjust the chairs and stuff on stage.

Protege

No, I am not referring to the dark movie starring Andy Lau, Louis Koo and Daniel Woo.

Protege: a person who is guided and helped by someone of influence or power. (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English)

I have always wanted to keep a protege. That was partly the reason why I joined teaching in the first place, to pass what knowledge I have to someone else so that they are not lost when I am no longer around. Let me attempt to list what are the things I would like to be passed on:

1) 4 Sets of Taiji Quan, 2 Sets of Fan, 4 Sets of Taiji Swordplay
2) Passion for and knowledge of Romance of the 3 Kingdoms
3) Passion for learning more about ancient Chinese History and Literature
4) Passion for and knowledge of History of Medieval Europe
5) Repertoire of traditional Chinese dishes (Am still accumulating experience and knowledge)
6) Knowledge of animal behaviour and interest in conservation efforts
7) Knowledge of and interest in ancient Chinese warfare strategems
8) Knowledge of and interest in Lord of the Rings
9) Passion for books of the Fantasy genre
10) Interest in Geomancy, Chinese Martial Arts, Traditional Chinese Medicine
11) Interest in Languages (Latin, Russian, French, Italian, Spainish, German) (not that I know most of them, it's the interest that counts!)
12) Knowledge of Mythologies (Chinese, Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian)

Now, what is the critieria to be my protege?
1) Interest in Chinese History, Culture, Martial Arts and Literature
2) Good command of Chinese Language and English Language
3) Interest in histories and mythologies of ancient civilisations
4) At least 1.74m and not weighing more than 70kg (to execute spectacular taiji moves)
5) Not older than me (all that I know has been accumulated throughout the years, so he will need to do some catching up. One has to have a good foundation in languages since young)
6) As good looking or better looking than me (well, packaging is very important nowadays!)
7) Good character (no master will ever keep a despicable disciple)

Volunteers anyone?