gosh...

This is VERY lame. But highly useful, putting it up here as a resource for myself before I forget something like this actually exists; unfortunately some of the stuff is at A-lvel. Warning: listen at your own discretion.

It's good to be "back"

I thought my "dreaming of the seashore on the endless world" post was as good as telling people my school posting. I guess it would have been a little more obvious to the TK people that I wasn't posted back to TK. But apprently people were still guessing even up to today... oh well... means I don't give good clues.

So yes... I have been posted back to Temasek Secondary School for 10 weeks of practicum. Walking around the school compound today... it felt like I was just there yesterday. In reality over 8 months had passed. It really felt good to be back.

But I still dream of the seashore on the endless world...

!?!?!??!?!!?!?!?!?!!??

Can't think of a title for this one... wanted to post a video of Doyle Dykes demonstrating the Taylor T5 then I came across this one... some people are just not human!

taking a step into the past...

Was looking through my archive the other day. It's been quite a journey. I started this blog almost three years ago and I guess I have grown a lot since then. The journey has been quite painful most of the time, but somehow through it all I can really see the grace of God on me.

Looking back and reading everything... I can now laugh at them. Those posts that were stupid, I can laugh at them. Those posts that were written when I felt defeated, I can laugh at the devil and tell him that he no longer binds me.

Well, here a rundown of some of my favourite posts as well as some posts that really mean a lot to me, those that have shaped me quite a bit.

The best food post
Rosti
This is the best food post thanks to people who actually tried the recipe and gave me feedback about it!

The most geeky post
Equations of love
This was my first mathematics post. It was truly inspired from above. Many people tell me they have problems seeing God in maths... well... they haven't spoken to me yet then.

The first journal post
101005
This is an honourable mention post. It came just before I entered a time of deep pain and if it had not, I would have lost my anchor in Christ. It also started a long process of reading the Bible everyday, and I can honestly say that I've read the Bible, at least one verse per day, everyday since that post. Even when I was in camp and when I was in USA. If you ask me if it was easy, I will say without hesitation that it was one of the most difficult things that I've done and am doing in my life; to read the Bible, at least one verse per day, everyday. The last such posts was recorded not too long ago and well... now I keep a hardcopy journal.

The mushy poem post
In His Time
Okay... I really wrote that poem; I was a pretty good literature student in lower sec. It was written when I was in a pretty bad emotional state, and the words there calmed me down quite a fair bit. Anyway, that is not the most mushy poem that I've written, the most emo and mushy one I've written is 25 verses long and was never and will never be published in it's entirety on this blog.

My most passionate post
Why jump?
This was my response to the "jumping" issue; it was an echo of my own journey when I was a younger musician. I would say that the story behind this post really made me very proud of One Voice for the maturity they showed in handling the whole issue. The tagboard posts that started it all can be found here:Jump?

The second most-emo post
Stop Dreaming
Well... this post... was a wake up call. Called me back to reality in some way.

The most-emo post by a long shot
WHY.
Well... it's the most emo post for very obvious reasons. It is actually a continuation of the above post. I would say that it was really one of the lowest points in my life; but through the whole experience God really displayed His grace and mercy towards me. I still read it with sadness, but at least now I can see it in a very different light and feel the joy that comes in the morning.

Christianity started out in Philistine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise. - Sam Pascoe

Practicum beckons

Seems to be the standard nick on MSN for all my NIE friends. Well, spent my last day at NIE, before practicum at least, yesterday. Have 2 more assignments due, but friends have kindly agreed to help me hand in.

Practicum begins next Monday, and I am excited to go to school. After 8 months of cramming in all the learning theories and teaching techniques, nothing beats a live experience.

The book of Acts says that young men will see visions and old men will dream dreams. Well, I've been dreaming dreams lately (so does that make me old???). Anyway, dreamt of my practicum school 3 times in the past week! When you think about it, it no longer becomes a coincidence or a stress thing, it is really something from above.

1 dream was pretty nice. But the other 2 were more like warnings of things to come. Well, I will have to be extra vigilant next week and for the next 10 weeks.

I'm also put in a pretty horrible situation. According to NIE instructions, I spend the first week observing and the next 9 weeks teaching. This excludes the March holidays which begins after my birthday; or after my first week of teaching. I'm stuck in the position of "whether I should give homework during the holidays". If I had my way, I won't give... but if that happens, well I can imagine that my CT won't be pleased. But if I do give... then I become public enemy number 1 with my students just after one week of teaching them. The really big problem is that every student teacher in NIE is in the same predicament. Well, I guss this is where my games and simulations module will definately come in handy for finding alternative ways of giving "homwork".

old trick,new skin...

This is quite interesting. Well, it works but too mechanical if done without understanding. Anyone care to figure out why it works?

classique...

This is one of the best and classic unplugged videos and one of the early ones too.

Assignments #2

I'm done with the lesson plan for my microteaching, notes, worksheets, powerpoint files and all! Hope that the time I take to plan for a lesson will be greatly reduced as time goes by man!

Outstanding assignments:
- Test construction portfolio - due Friday
- English Assignment II - due NEXT Friday
- COTS review and adaptation - due the Friday in the March Holidays

dreaming of the seashore on the endless world...

Well, I wish I could sing some of those words on the morning of 26 Feb when practicum starts. But no, I won't. The Lord the decided to place me someplace else, but yet has very graciously answered a prayer of mine.

And so yes, due to someone's slip of tongue, my posting has been revealed. But then as I stated in the post below, it never wasn't a secret anyway.

So yes, come 26 Feb, I won't have to travel to NIE in the west anymore, but I can take a nice slow walk to school just like I did for4 weeks last year!

my Taylor is back!!

Yeah... my guitar is back from the Sinamex guitar hospital. It's feels brand new now! The works on it:
- changed the 1st to 4th frets
- re-crowned the whole fret-board
- set-up to 0.12 guage strings
Besides that they also buffed the guitar. So it's got a nice sheen on it now. Wasn't free, but it was reasonable. Now I will need to replace the saddle, nut and pins to give it extra brightness! :)

Anyway...

I just realised that my posting is NOT a secret. It is available online and it is not password protected. So, happy hunting...

it hurts just looking at it...

Using this advert for an english lesson tomorrow. So cute and so tragic...

ironic...

Had a family function after the amzing race on Sunday, so I couldn't join the rest of YMPACT for dinner. So I didn't have to pay $6... or so I thought... was fined $6 for exceeding my parking time when I was stationed at Tampines. Ironic :(

Anyway, on another note... my family dinner made up for all that. It was my granduncle and cousin's birthday but CNY came a little early this year. Just take a look at this feast:





And... the most important dish of all...

Posting is out!

After travelling from east to west for the past half a year, I'm really happy that I don't have to travel that kind of distance for practicum! It's a super big morale booster.

Will keep my school posting a secret for now. Will reveal it to YMPACT soon enough. Will drop hints here and there, so read in between the lines.

Anyway, it will only be for 10 weeks, from late February to early May. Moreover, School posting unit has already made it clear that the honours students will most likely be posted to JCs. Oh well... time will tell...

On another note...

I'm missing my Taylor. It's undergoing some internal surgery at the Sinamex Guitar Hospital. It's first major servicing in 3.5 years. Here's a list of operations that will be taking place:
- Replacement of first 4 frets
- Re-crowning the whole fret-board
- Set-up to light guage strings
It will cost quite a bit, but it should give my guitar a much better feel.

Assignement count #1

Since my posting has been delayed... I think I will put up a list of assignments that I have due to frighten myself:

English - Reflection piece (40%) DONE!
Social Context - Essay 2 (30%) DONE!
Mathematics - Lesson plan for microteaching (15%) - Due 14 Feb
Mathematics - Microteaching - Presenting on 16 Feb
Mathematics - Assesment construction portfolio (40%) - Due 16 feb
English - Critical Review (60%) - Due 23 Feb
Games and Simulations - COTS review and adaptation (40%) - Due 18 March

The last one is due in the middle of practicum... my group is hoping to get it done by 26 Feb. Shouldn't be a problem.

a few more hours to go...NOT...

Practicum posting will be out in a matter of hours... very exciting. Not been able to sleep very well the last few days thanks to the thought of it all.

EDIT: posting has been delayed one day... anti-climatic

Dreaming of the seashore on the endless world...