A Problem I Encountered and How I Solved or Managed it

Hello Readers,
This is going to be the last post that is marked for the English Assessment. But so what, it's not going to be the last post of my life. Blogging is just the best past time now. These few months, our band has been going through very thorough practicing for the up coming Singapore Youth Festival'2011, which is in April.

2pages of 6page score. SYF choice piece

The Singapore Youth Festival is an annual event in Singapore schools organised by the MOE to celebrate the achievements of youths in CCAs. Students in schools across Singapore involved in the performing arts, sports and uniformed group CCAs are engaged in preparations to compete in the SYF. Victoria School Concert Band has claimed Silver and Gold in the past two years respectively.

This year, we are practising at top level, hoping to attain the Gold-With-Honours for the upcoming competition. However, not every good thing would come easily. We have went through tears and laughter through this season. The worst has not passed.

Since the holiday ended, I have found it very difficult to stay back in school everyday till 6pm to practise. It has became very tiring and exhausting after week one. By the second week, when I got home, which is about 8pm, after dinner in grandparents' place, I would drop dead on my bed, lifeless. I often find it difficult to do my homework at such late in the night and would lose my concentration and focus very frequently. This has became very irresistible.

Vibraphone from school

My part for our choice piece, is a four-mallet part on the vibraphone. This has not make anything easier. In fact more difficult. Four-mallet meaning two sticks in each hand. It's a very difficult and uncomfortable skill that requires lots and lots of practice to master. Until now, I still find it very difficult to maneuver each sticking swiftly.

I decided to put this tiring days to a stop.  I came out with a plan, where on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I would stay back in school till 6pm. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I would stay until 3pm, if possible, if not I would go home if there's homework. Although this schedule has just started this week, I'm feeling more relieve and getting more sleep. I wish this would be a long term process.

our choice piece, El Camino Real:

Until my next post,
damien

Something Unusual That Happened On Friday

Hello Readers!
Yesterday (Friday), we played 'Tikam' during English class. Although it sounds as if it's a game created a long time ago, I still think Ma'am created this game. Here's how it goes:

When Ms Tan choose a number, the guy with register number that corresponds to it, chooses an enclosed post-it paper from Ms Tan's box.

The person then opens the post-it paper, revealing the word written in it. He has to give the definition of the word. If not, he would choose a person, instead.

When the word's meaning is finally said by someone, they get to take a white paper from Ms Tan, which has either number from one to six written on it. These are our prize.

Prizes includes, a chance card for detention, kinder bueno, marsh mallow, zour bomb,

Basically, that’s how the game ran. Jonathan was first to go, with register number 13. The word he got- Perturb. He does not know. The word went around the whole class and nobody knows the explicit meaning of this intricate word. So, Ma’am decided that we learn this word, and no one gets the prize. The meaning of the word- unsettled.

This song explains everything that happened today

The words babel, infer, entrancing and ensue, came out too. The words meaning confuse, deduce, captivate, and start to pass, respectively. Justin and Sharadh got one, while Sylvester got two. After that, we continue with our normal English class, going through comprehension.

I think it was one of the most unusual beginning of English class I had in my life, and it was a very fun one. It made the whole class restless once in awhile, but Ms Tan still managed to get order with her ‘hangman’ threat.  But at least, when we were at proper English class, we weren’t tired and lethargic.

Something That Took Place In School

Hello readers,
We had our half-day today. It was, of course, from the hard work of our seniors, I mean, our alumni. I hope the best for their future ahead.

School ended at 10.45am. Today, it was more like a holiday than a school day. Our first class was Form Teacher Period. We went through a class about 'Resilience' and went through our strength on how to improve on it, and our weakness, on how to work on it, hoping to convert it to a strength. This class, was less on studying which was hated by many of us, but more on talking and discussion.

Second period was, PE-Theory. Mr Tan did not come in to class. Thus, Mr Lim was our relieve teacher. However, he did not teach us PE-Theory. Instead, he gave us two choices. They were- 'Revise Your Work' and 'Chinese New Year Decoration'. Of course, Chinese New Year is coming, so decided on starting our Chinese New Year Decoration. Then, the class exploded in chaos, but a more productive and fruitful chaos then just randomly running around. Thirty-five minutes, just thirty-five minutes, and the class is half decorated. A 'fu' word was pasted on the wall with red-packet-fishes.

The Third period was Mother Tongue. Everyone wished our Chinese teacher did not come. It was, boring, as usual, but, it was only thirty-five minutes, so we managed to survive this short time. After school, I went for Band Individual practise, until 3pm and went home.

Everybody, hoped that half-day was everyday. Where it feels like a holiday, but if that happens, we can't learn anything, and that would defeat the purpose of us going to school.

A Moment Spent Alone Doing Something I Enjoyed

Good Afternoon Readers,

Delta Swimming Complex

 
Yesterday, which was Sunday, I went to Delta Swimming Complex. Attempting to make it a weekly exercise basis, to maintain my 'acceptable' rating for my height and weight, I would go swimming for approximately an hour, and then go to have dinner or breakfast, depending on the time of the day. However, I would usually end the session at 6pm, as I could not wake up on most of the mornings, due to lack of sleep in that week. Sometimes, my father would tag along with me, but of course, talking is cut short. We did not want to waste time talking, and end up swimming lesser, so as to improve the efficiency of the exercise.

Between 8-9am and 5-6pm, I think, would be the best time to swim. These two timings have something in common. The weather is not very hot nor very cold. Too early before 8am or too late after 6pm, the water in the pools will begin to lower in temperature, as the Sun rise or sets. However, after 9am, the sun would be out, and it would be rather hot. Suffering from Sun burns would then have a higher possibility. What’s more, it is the time for me to have my breakfast.

I think coming down to swim, is a very good form of exercise, for the weekends, and I could also relieve my stress after a whole week of school, school work, and learning. Putting aside all these troubles, I could focus more, after this swimming session, on my weekend school homework. I think everyone should try this out, as it is very good for your health, mind, and a form of physical training.

 an exam at Delta Swimming complex

A Special Moment I Enjoyed With My Family.

Good Evening Readers,
Before I begin today's entry, I would like to wish my grandfather a very Happy 71st Birthday.
(Pls View The Video, as part of the two media assignment.)

This morning, I woke up at 6am, got prepared and went to school for Band Practice. Band practice was tiring once again, but really awesome like every time. After that, was my Piano-Practical class. It was a terrible time I had today, which an hour feels like a year. Though I like piano, I dislike taking exams. I'd rather play piano for leisure. There is less stress and anxiety. Piano-Theory class was next. I could describe it with a word- Awesome. Everything went well. I've done my homework, and teacher has 'praised me' again and again. Great Time.

Yes, it was a tiring day alright. Every thing ended at 6pm. Of course, a tiring day would need a good dinner, for recuperation. We went to have dinner, at a dim sum restaurant. A way to celebrate my Grandfather's birthday, dumplings, buns, longevity noodles, spring rolls, tea, every chinese cuisine in the world! All these made my day. It was a good reward to a hectic and fervid day.

Hey, have you readers realize something is missing? Yes, it's the birthday cake. But no, we didn't have it in the restaurant. We went back home to have it. The Chinese Version of happy birthday was sang, for his benefit, standing behind a table filled with 10 huge and a little source of light. It was time to blow the candles. A puff and a huff, a smoke replaced those tiny stars floating above the cake. And soon, the coffee-flavored cake was in our gullet, sliding down toward our stomach.

Then, they day had almost ended. We had to leave for home. It was a very special moment of my life with my family. We can't reverse time. We have to keep looking forward. Forgetting the bad times, carving the good times on the walls of our mind. This day, would be one of those, which would never be forgotten.

Happy Birthday to my Grandfather once again. 

My Thoughts about Blogging

Hello readers,

this is my first post of this blog. Yes, this is 50% of my CA1 English Assessment.

Creating this blog, is very simple and easy. By clicking a few buttons, we are done, and in an instant, I am already typing this post in the Victoria School computer lab, English period. I think blogger is very efficient and has a very comprehensive way of helping us, beginner bloggers, to navigate our to creating a new blog

Over this period, I hope to express myself, in profound English to the very best of my ability, not making grammatical errors frequently, like before. I think this is a very good opportunity to write about my days in Victoria School, and the awesome time I have in my life, as a student

After this assignment, I would encourage myself to write-in, whenever I'm free, instead of wasting time on playing games and watching television programs. This online diary, can now be my life, my commonplace book, where all my memories, my ideas, my discoveries to be recorded in it.

This virtual world would enter my life once again, and in this other dimension, promoting me to a better english writer in the ability to demonstrate language features and structures. To entertain and communicate with my readers effectively.

Lastly, let me begin my new chapter of my secondary school life, in this virtual dimension of blogging.