Saving Hungry Prince

(6.53pm) Sharon: OMG! I am late. Prince must be starving at home. He is always fed at 6pm!

The way home seemed to take a longer time than usual. I walked as fast as my legs could carry me.

I was finally in the lift.

(6.55pm) Sharon: Quick! Quick! Take me up to the 11th floor.

Emerging from the lift, I dashed straight to my unit.

Prince greeted me immediately. Then he tried to find out where I went by "smelling" me.

Prince: Where have you been to?! You know mummy gives me dinner at 6pm sharp?! Quick, give me dinner or I will give you a bite!

(6.57pm) Preparation for Prince's dinner started. Dinner was rice + chicken + doggie food.

Prince waited outside the kitchen impatiently for his food. He kept fidgeting.

Prince: You give me dinner faster can or not!!! I am very hungry leh. I must complain to mummy!

Sharon: Ok ok! Almost ready. You give me a minute.

(7.00pm) Sharon: Coming coming! Dinner is going to be delicious today.

Finally, the dinner was served - an hour late. The hungry Prince was eatting away.

Prince: I will eat first then settle the scores with you.

Coming up next...

Saving Hungry Prince

Starring:

Price as Prince

Sharon as the negligent pet owner

Producer: Sharon

Director: Sharon

Artistic Director: Sharon

Camera Man: Sharon

“郑和”与“老九”的影子

第一次观看郭宝崑先生的作品，是去年上陈日辉老师的课时。虽然看的只是演出的录影，但是印象深刻、感触良多。当时看的是《郑和的后代》。

17/11/05 正式踏进新的DramaCentre，欣赏《老九音乐剧》。不知道是幸运还是不幸——我就坐在第一排，看舞台旁边的字幕时很辛苦，但台上演员的每一个脸部表情却看得一清二楚。

故事是很典型的年轻人追求梦想的故事，电视上经常上演。可是看着看着，我哭了。

或许我从“老九”的身上看到了自己的影子、或许每一个曾经年轻过的人，身体里都藏有过一个“老九”、或许“老九”曾经是自己的故事……

当我让眼泪流下而不敢用手拭去，因为怕被身旁的人发现时，坐在我右边的一位女士轻轻地擦了擦眼睛。

原来“老九”的影子，有着我们的影子。

这是我上剧场第一次流泪。

其实流泪的不止是观众。由于坐得很靠近舞台，我能够清清楚楚地看到主要演员如刘晓义、黄家强和林继修等都是泪流满面地在说着、唱着、演着。

在“追梦”的主题外，剧中还探讨了传统艺术的式微。听着黄家强和林继修的《时代的钟摆》，看着两个被时代淘汰的老人……我想，眼泪应该就是在这个时候第一次滑落的吧？

我只能说除了感动，还是感动！

和去年看《郑和的后代》时一样，我带着种种的反思离开（剧场/课室）。



回应剧中“师傅”的话：
@其实，读再多的书，乾坤也不一定在你掌中。读书人有时面对命运也有无力感。

Yummy yummy! (Episode 2)

Forget about Haagen Daz! Try Ben & Jerry's!















@This is what I had - Phish (say fish) Food



You have to try it yourself to define what "super premium" ice-cream is.


"Super Premium Ice-Cream" means (to me):

1) paying $4 for a "small" (this is how they labelled the smallest scoop) single scoop

2) choosing from some unfamiliar flavours that you haven't heard of eg. The Gobfather, Chunkey Monkey, Phish Food, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and so on

3) having ice-cream from a listed company in US

4) informed by the one scooping my ice-cream that every 1% that I spent contribute to help clean up rivers

5) having no place to sit in the stall during non-peak hours

6) couldn't stop after the first scoop

lastly,
7) seeing "fishes" in my ice-cream!

















@ See the last remaining fishes?

Yummy yummy! (Episode 1)

Move aside Mac!

Move aside KFC!

Move aside Mos Burger!

Here comes Carl's Jr!

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Sorry, I had finished it.

You have to imagine how it looks like.

Go get a burger yourself, it's simply delicious!

Praying hard... for next Monday

Can you believe it? I am more worried about my kid taking O-Level next Mon than having to hand in a 2000-word Chinese report before 5pm that day to Dr Quah! Goodness, I haven't start writing a single word... Die.


Sorry Dr Quah:
1) to ask you such a general question abt "dominant culture" that you don't know how to give me an answer.
2) forgive me if I give your rubbish for the report.

Answer to some queries

Has been "entertaining" all kinds of question asking me about when I am getting myself "another half". Although I won't choose to remain single, I am not giving myself too much pressure regarding this.

Perhaps you can say that I am not pro-active but I am enjoying every bit of my new-found freedom that my parents are granting me now. So well, I am on the look-out but no hurry, really.

"Adding oil" for YY

Recently took a Sec 4 kid under my charge. He's re-taking Chinese in the coming O-Level, which is unfortunately only 3 weeks away at the end of October. Lesson started last Tuesday and he will be having lesson on every Tuesday and Friday till the very last minute. These lessons are extra, excluding those he has on Saturday.

Poor boy. He has Chinese tuition 3 times a week.

His foundation is very weak. Too weak. Weaker than my regular students who are in Sec 2. This is the least I had expected.

How to get him ready for battle in such short time? How to "spot" questions? A lot of "how to" that I have to find answers to.

I am in fact apprehensive and worried. Very worried.

But I am determined to do my best for him.

I hope he won't find my "training regime" of doing practices and more practices mundane.

All the best YY! 加油! I will do my part and you must put in effort too.

Haa... 21st birthday

First of all, a very Happy Birthday to Julia who is 21-year-old today!


So far, i had went to two 21st birthday parties in less than two months time and I am predicting that there will be more coming up in the next one or two years. It's like a prelude to all the wedding dinners you will have to attend in a few years time . Then it would be the 满月酒 and so on. Life sure has many phases. How interesting!

老师的鼓励

刚和胡老师通过电话。
今早给她发了教师节的简讯。
她稍后来电但我在上课，唯有再发简讯，告诉她我上完课后再和她联络。
接近晚上九点，我尝试联络她，但没人接电。
大概在十一点十五分左右，胡老师来电了。


她说看到了那篇刊登在副刊的作品，不知道是不是我的。
“不知道那是我的静芳吗？”
“和你之前的文笔很不一样。”
“我们都觉得很有文采。”
“很有味道。”
“和你在初院写的文章很不同。”
“这就是最好的教师节礼物。”
“很好，要继续努力。”


谢谢您，胡老师！
除了您和另一位小学的华文老师外，就没有老师鼓励我创作了。

无缘

《2359狂想》

2- 我相信在世界的另一端，有另一个一模一样的我。我在赤道旁的绿州，她在北极圈的小岛。我在沙滩堆城堡，她在冰地溜冰。我享受冰棒在嘴里融化的感觉，她捧着热可可看热气的上升。喂，此刻你也在想我吗？

3- 为什么排行老三的灰姑娘可以从此过着幸福快乐的日子？为什么第三只小猪最聪明？就连童话世界都那么不公平，现实世界更不用说了。

5- 五房式的组屋
五个家庭成员
五台电脑
每天说不上五句话
每次谈话不超过五分钟

9- 当年他们在一九九九年九月九日结婚，但数字也在命运中开了他们的玩笑。他们是今年离婚数据中的第九十九对夫妻。




24/08/05当天早上看到《2359》的SMS比赛在征稿，就发了以上的简讯参赛。那时是觉得可以好好动动脑筋，把HC101学到的派上用场，没想到星期六早上却接到通知说我的作品得奖了。可是当天需要教一整天的课，根本抽不出时间到新图书馆去领奖，而负责联络的人说获奖者须到场去领奖，否则将由其他作品补上。只好对他说声谢谢，然后放弃。我写得怎样？给点意见吧。

*Sigh* Singaporeans...

I was taking bus 198 home yesterday evening after a long day of teaching. Managed to grab a seat just by the exit and I sat down of course, as I was carrying really heavy stuff. At the next stop, a young mother carrying her daughter and a female friend of hers board the bus. They moved into the bus looking for a seat but all the seats were taken. The bus moved on and the mother was moving unsteadily inwards.

Nobody moved. Not even the well-built man in front of me. Maybe he was pretending to sleep with his eyes closed. I stood up and offered my seat. The young mother sat down. No gesture of appreciation. Not even a word of "thank you".

What can be more disturbing? Those who were keeping their butts on their seats or the young mother?

记事24/07/05

昨天很幸运地能够出席《新谣节2005》。第一次到场观赛，心情难免有点兴奋。参赛作品与表演者的水准之好是我之前没有预料到的。


我想昨晚的一些歌手绝对有参加《绝对Superstar》的潜能，而且可能还唱得比一些入围的还要好。作晚的作品当中并没有听到一首自己特别喜欢的，而且因为只在台下听过一遍，好些作品并不能使我留下深刻的印象。这点很是让我怀疑是自己没有用心地聆听，还是那些歌曲真的少了一点X-factor。听了十二首作品后，倒是很怀念上世纪80年代时期的新谣作品的那种清新风格。入围的作品虽然首首听来都能卖钱，但是却无法令人感动，也无法让人在听后回味上一整天。表演嘉宾是梁咏琪和范玮琪。我们就坐在第二排，真的是把她们俩看得一清二楚。最后我只能说她们真的很瘦，而且是那种皮包骨的样子！


赛后跟着一群长辈级人物去吃夜宵。由于没有吃夜宵的习惯，唯有叫了杯饮料，但还是敌不过长辈们的殷勤，吃了一点。两个二十岁的小妹妹和一群长辈就这样边吃边聊了起来。这里有些 “惊人发现” ：1）已经是两个孩子的辣妈真的比在场的两个小妹妹还havoc，想去看《Zpop闹fun天》演唱会（我们两个小的听了都在冒汗）2）这些长辈的胃口竟然比我们两个小的好太多了——一大盘的蚝煎、炒福建面…… 一直聊到了近凌晨十二点，之后非常感谢老师把我送回家，回到家时已经快一点钟了。


（配合《新谣节》的主题色调，破例选用绿色）

Classroom for my regular lessons in KHS

This is the classroom where I will spend another 13 Sat mornings in. Notice the colourful furniture? They are all made for primary school kids to use considering they are not very tall. The classroom is bigger than those I remembered in my primary school days. Also, they have better furnishing. I still remembered 2 students had to share those wooden tables that are full of carving on top during my days. (from students' view)









Take a look at their notice board. Not in the picture is a mini compo set. How fortunate. (from my view)














So far the 2 classes of P3 and P4 students have been well-behaved and it is a pleasure teaching them. All I can complain about is having to wake up at 6.45am so that I can catch the 7.30am train to Paya Lebar, then switching to a bus to be in time for the first lesson at 9am. The size of the classroom is a challenge since I am trained to teach in classrooms of only half the size of this. I must really thank my days in RV for maximising the potential of my vocal cords. My throat is still alright after 6 consecutive weeks of continuous teaching.

I will try posting the classroom of my S2 class in the language centre itself if I have the chance. It is so much smaller than the normal classroom in a primary school.

孙子兵法——未来子孙的警告

孙子兵法

演唱: 陶喆 词: 李焯雄 曲: 陶喆

我说 我说 坦克剩很多 花朵没见过
传说 传说 季节有四个 陆地没淹没
传说磨菇云朵 混合海啸挽歌
在你找快乐的周末 地球毁灭性收缩
谁说过沉默等同许可
有许多还想要更多
以爱之名勒索 什么都想囊括
爸爸的爸爸请问为何
这种世界留给我 La...

快说 快说 台北莫斯科 北极是什么
传说 传说 同归于荒漠 高贵或龌龊
大人饱得打嗝 小孩继续挨饿
怒火是最后的烟火 文明被狠狠抖落
谁说过沉默等同许可
有许多还想要更多
以爱之名勒索 什么都想囊括
爸爸的爸爸请问为何
连我们你也掠夺

谁说过沉默等同许可
有许多却想要更多
以爱之名勒索 谁都侵掠如火
爸爸的爸爸请问为何
仇恨被一再倒模 一再复活 La... 你说


听了这首歌后有莫明的恐惧。未来的世界是否会像陶喆所唱的一样——“坦克剩很多，花朵没见过”？

歌曲里的世界是一个幻想中的未来世界，而且是个被灾难蹂躏，甚至是被摧毁后的废墟。那里有的是战后剩下的坦克，连一朵花也没有。那里没有四季，也没有陆地。台北、莫斯科和北极变成了历史名词。

而其中也多少交代了地球变样的原因，以及变样之前的样子：
1）“磨菇云朵 混合海啸挽歌 在你找快乐的周末 地球毁灭性收缩”
2）“同归于荒漠 高贵或龌龊”
3）“大人饱得打嗝 小孩继续挨饿”
3）“怒火是最后的烟火 文明被狠狠抖落”

这个继承了这么一个 “未来地球” 的 “孙子” 面对眼前这样的世界，无能为力。他也只能一再地质问“爸爸的爸爸”（爷爷）为什么将一个畸形的世界留给他。

我想：当我们一再埋怨这个地球的现状时，我们可曾问过自己是否也正在做一些会让后代子孙问 “为何这个世界留给我” 的事？“己所不欲，勿施于人”，我们既然会埋怨上一代人所留下的破坏，那我们如果也不检讨自己的行为的话，下一代人也一定会对我们这一代人感到不满。沉默真的不等于许可吗？那我们是否有对人类进行的破坏做过什么表示？现代人的沉默多是对事情的冷漠。如果我们不愿接受这样的一个后果，我们是不是应该打破沉默呢？

I need to rest

Had a terrible start this week...

Down with flu and fever yesterday.

Have morning lesson till this Fri.

Assignments to be marked.

Completed resources to be compiled into soft and hardcopy.

Another set of resources due on Fri.

Alumni matters to settle.

No time to rest...

我始终是个学生！

当老师很难，当个好老师更难！我还是安分地做个学生吧！

意外发现

九年前, 一个十一岁的小女孩正为每个星期得交上一篇作文而苦恼.

后来她想到了一个办法.

她决定在懒惰, 没有心情, 没有时间, 没有灵感时, 以诗代替作文交给老师.

她当时想 :"诗要写的字少多了......"

于是, 她接下来几乎每个星期交上去的, 都是诗.

<<海颂>>

海啊海,
你是那么广阔无边,
没有起点也没有终点.

海啊海,
从岸上看过去,
你和天空是离不开的兄弟.

海啊海,
你和风是一对好朋友,
你们引起了不可抵挡的大浪.

海啊海,
你形成了一座高山以后就倒了,
这时出现的是一朵朵白色的浪花.

海啊海,
你随着椰树的摆动,
在翩翩起舞.

海啊海,
这幅由你构成的画,
难道你不为此感到自豪吗?

在翻查资料时, 意外地发现自己这一篇刊登在<<小学好作文 -- 五年级>> (裴蕾编) 的诗, 还有一篇刊登在六年级模范作文的一本书 (裴蕾编) 里的命题作文<<最常到我家的客人>>. 有一种莫明的感动. 事隔近十年, 自己都忘了写过这么两篇作品. 愿与大家先分享这首自己挺骄傲的诗, 下次有机会再把那篇作文传上来.

What burden is that?

The White Man's Burden -- Rudyard Kipling
1899
THE UNITED STATES AND THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS


Take up the White man's burden --
Send forth the best ye breed --
Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness
On fluttered folk and wild --
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half devil and half child.

Take up the White Man's burden --
In patience to abide,
To veil the threat of terror
And check the show of pride;
By open speech and simple,
An hundred times mad plain.
To seek another's profit,
And work another's gain.

Take up the White Man's burden --
The savage wars of peace --
Fill full the mouth of Famine
And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch Sloth and heathen Folly
Bring all your hope to nought.

Take up the White Man's burden --
No tawdry rule of kings,
But toil of serf and sweeper --
The tale of common things.
The ports ye shall not enter,
The roads ye shall not tread,
Go make them with your living,
And mark them with your dead!

Take up the White man's burden --
And reap his old reward:
The blame of those ye better,
The hate of those ye guard --
The cry of hosts ye humour
(Ah, slowly!) toward the light: --
"Why brought ye us from bondage,
"Our loved Egyptian night?"

Take up the White Man's burden --
Ye dare not stoop to less --
Nor call too loud on freedom
To cloak your weariness;
By all ye cry or whisper,
By all ye leave or do,
The silent, sullen peoples
Shall weigh your Gods and you.

Take up the White Man's burden --
Have done with childish days --
The lightly proffered laurel,
The easy, ungrudged praise.
Comes now, to search your manhood
Through all the thankless years,
Cold-edged with dear-bought wisdom,
The judgment of your peers!




A history teacher in my first 3 month in JC introduced us to this poem by Rudyard Kipling. I remembered feeling very disturbed when I was reading this, especially when these white people felt an "obligation" to make the "half devil half child" civilised. How well they hide their ill-intentions behind their humanitarian moves.

Recalled this poem again after watching Kingdom of Heaven, even though the theme of this poem is not exactly similar to that of the movie. However ,I must certainly point out the ever-existing sense of superiority that some whites feel about themselves compared to the coloured.

Still feeling very angry...

Prayer for Peace

I watched "Kingdom of Heaven" yesterday in Cineleisure. Never felt so overwhelmed by themes in a movie for a long time.

How ugly Man can be trying to seize control of others' possessions! How fanaticism can drive Man to commit atrocities! How evil Man can be to use religion to mask their greed!

Even though I do not really comprehend the Crusades which happened almost 1000 years ago, the themes in the movie are not remote. Man never learns from history. History repeats itself because of Man's stupidity and ignorance.

Studying "Cold War in the Middle East" during the 'A' Levels often left me deep in thought. I can never understand why the followers of religions that see Jerusalem as the Holy Land cannot treat one another as brothers. Sometimes, it was even depressing then, when I read more about how these brothers fought in the 40-odd years.

Like what the lead character had said in gist in the movie, "Kingdom of Heaven" lies in the heart. It does not belong to anyone of them but everyone who believes in his faith.

However, seeing Lien Chen of KMT and Hu Jintao of CCP holding hands in the historical moment days ago has made me hopeful. Brothers who had fallen out 60 years ago finally decided to meet each other. There is still hope for peace in the Middle East, if they believe that Kingdom of Heaven is in their heart.

Another SYF

又是一年的SYF.

从来没想过还会有机会听到<<义贯千古>> (<<祭关羽>>),

直到今天又在比赛中听到.

心中泛起点点的愁绪.

这首曲子真是让自己又爱又狠.

恨 -- 恨它当年狠狠地在<<爱诗曲>>头上踩了一脚.

爱 -- 爱它的气势磅礴, 荡气回肠, 与众不同.

现在听来,

虽然不及当年德明的来势汹汹,

但也足以让我回味上许久.

看来,

时间真的能让心境成熟, 沉淀.

现在再听到,

更多的是对那一段青涩岁月的无限怀念.

<<我最快乐的一天>>

<<我最快乐的一天>>

"我很开心因为爸爸妈妈花了很多钱来让我快乐 ...... 我才知道爸爸妈妈多么疼爱我 ...... 这也是我第一次感觉到他们的疼爱" (学子A)

"XX送我____ , XX送我____ , XX送我____ ...... 我很感动...... 我今天才知道有好朋友的重要" (学子B)

前天改到了这两个同学的文章, 不知道该怎么去改这样的内容.

我不知道这两篇作文的内容是"纯属虚构" 还是真又此事.

原来现在孩子的快乐是需要用钱来买的, 原来现在的孩子觉得父母在他们身上花钱才是对他们表

示疼爱, 原来现在的孩子是以金钱来决定友情的重要与否, 原来......

很多的 "原来" 在眼前晃过.

为他们修正错别字, 语病, 再提供内容的种种提示, 是否就能改变他们的想法?

我有点茫然......

我的背影

Take 2 from http://spaces.msn.com/members/kjfsharon/

21/04/05


<<我的背影>>

今天我又见证了SYF的残酷. 看到学弟学妹们哭得如此伤心, 我仿佛在他们身上看到了几年前的自己.

年少时的好胜, 执着, 骄傲都尽写在脸上, 但年轻气盛却又经不起挫折与失败的考验. 我们都渴望成功, 事事追求满分, 少一分都觉得是彻底的失败. 在追逐中, 我们只为目标奋斗而忘了成功的光辉是如此的短暂, 而过程的点滴才是永恒.

99年的第一次SYF, 我也和他们一样, 第一次尝到了努力换来的不平等回报. 我也和他们今天一样, 当场就在音乐厅外痛哭流泪. 回想起来, 我好象比他们哭得还厉害. 在十四岁的生命里, 我上了第一堂<<努力不等于成功>>的课.

01年的第二次SYF, "努力不等于成功" 的悲剧再度上演. 当年因须上台领奖和合照, 我做了一件至今都感到骄傲的事. 我竟然可以在台上满面笑容的领奖, 合照, 然后一副处变不惊的样子走出音乐厅, 直到回到学校. 尽管身边的队友个个已经泪如雨下, 我还是保持了一贯的冷静. 在回校的路上, 我沉默不语, 虽然心里已经哭了一遍又一遍. 就这样一直憋到回校, 之后就精疲力竭地哭不出来了. 今天同当年在场观赛的学姐聊起这件事时, 才从她口中知道, 当年负责老师都还在窃窃私语说我应该可以忍住眼泪. 原来他们一直都认为我是那么坚强的, 幸好当时不负众望. 但没哭并不表示接受了当时的失败啊. 我还是心有不甘的.

03年的第三次SYF, 十八岁的我是成熟多了. 虽然还是在回校的巴士车上按捺不住哭了, 但那却不是因为悲剧第三次上演, 而是内心沉积已久的复杂情绪的释放. 泪水里有的是那一年多来辛苦练习所囤积的压力, 完成比赛后的如释重负, 还有对自己最后一次参加SYF的感慨. 回到练习室集合时, 自己更是有点情绪失控, 泪流不止, 只因想到和队友的美好时光到此结束, 对那段时光感到万分不舍. 我知道当时的自己已经真正地学会如何去享受一个过程, 而不去在意最后的成败. 这么一个人生的学问是用了六年的时间, 三次的比赛才学会的.

今天学弟学妹的心情, 我是可以理解, 毕竟自己也在这沙场上大战了三回. 现在不需要每两年上一次战场, 我更能以平常的心态去看待他们的失败. 他们也和自己一样需要岁月来教会自己一些毕生受用的人生哲学. 这些挫折在他们这一生中应该还不算是最大的, 但却可作为人生经验的累积. 起码他们有这个机会去经历挫折与失败.

我从他们身上看到从前的自己, 但却只是自己的背影. 当时的自己已经在岁月的流程里渐渐地远去了.

**送给所有曾在比赛中流泪的朋友**

Debut

Where do you see the Blue Canopy? Just look up and it's right above. My anguish, anxiety, frustrations, worries, experiences and dreams will be under this Blue Canopy of mine. This is just a space of my own under the common blue canopy that we share. Do read on...