HIGHLY PERCHED ON A WEAK BRANCH

2011-12-10T20:31:00.000-08:00

While I was away, something sweet made my day.

Jasper, a bright student I disciplined, counselled and advised since January posted a lovely note on my wall on my FB account with students.

Dear Ms Tan , I really wanna thank you for building up this class although you tried so hard , you kept reprimanding us during the first few terms of school , yeah we know because we are not fully matured yet . But hopefully when we reach sec two we will be the matured pupils of 2A2 . I also want to thank you for all the scoldings , consultations , adivces you gave me . If it weren't for you , i wouldn't have chosen the correct path of life . I may not or may see you next year but i really want to tell you this , A BIG VERY THANK YOU for all your time siding with me . There are times i know you really think that i no hope , but you still did tried to help me yeah . I'm actually sorry for all the troubles , problems i caused you . It may sometimes implicate into your own personal life . I'm so sorry . But actually care for me until the very end (like no hope , no teacher also want to care ) . No words can describe my thankfulness to you . I think over it about saying those harsh words on Ms Nadiah , i'm now totally sincere about my apology to her . I promise you when i go back to school i will apologize to her and next year shall be the year that i change . Change for the better . I will miss you Miss Tan , you are the best teacher who ever taught me yet :) . We all will
Miss you and all the best for your studies and goodluck ^^v

From your dearest student , Jasper Lee :)

I am truly touched and it's great to end my stint as an educator on a high and lovely note.

Jasper and 2A1 (2012), I wish you all the best too.

Wednesday Evening, waiting....

2011-07-06T03:24:00.000-07:00

Takagi Masakatsu - Flows

One way to let myself remember nice songs that I usually forget the next day is to blog about it, I realise. Same goes for movies, book titles, so on and so forth. There, a new reason to blog.

Well, I recently revisit cartoons and animes, after my trip in Bangkok that is. I watched X-Men and Kungfu Panda in Bangkok and absolutely loved them. I love the idea of watching a movie in between the busy shopping and eating schedule. One other anime I would like to watch would be "The Borrower's Arriety" by Studio Ghibil (grabbed from a blogger). I would like to immerse myself into the world of imagination and fantasy again. Oh! I also took a liking to anime figures, those pretty girls in weird costumes and positions. I think they are intricate and beautiful :)

A silly Wednesday evening goes by....

2011-01-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

I like to have some good snaps of trees, plants and flowers. This one smells like white pepper.

I miss Japan in December

2011-01-26T08:21:00.000-08:00

I truly enjoyed waking up every morning to the cold air in my face. I also love the fact that I could wear a long-sleeved top with a thick down jacket and still not feeling the heat.

Boots, jacket, long-sleeves and sunnies... I could look like a fighter pilot one day and a typical school girl another, no one would take a second look.

The Place

2010-06-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

I have found the place of inspiration.

This place has whatever I wanted in a home. It is not so bad after all to be greeted at the door with a kitchen on my left and the washroom on my right. A white sliding door separates the washroom from the kitchen. A combination of Electrolux fridge, oven, toaster, coffee-maker and kettle, with Tefal pot and pan. Well, it would be lovely if there's a Nespresso machine for an occasional Capuccino or Latte.

In the marble-tiled washroom, a glass door separates the shower area from the toilet. Rain shower bath, white bath tub, sink and toilet bowl, all pipes hidden. Lying in the tub, watching golf championship on ESPN through the glass peering into the room. With guests around, just allow the white blinds to roll down and enjoy a steamy rose bubble bath.

I used to love the idea of having thick mattress perched on a platform for a bed until I saw this. A king-sized bed with the height of half of me. I would have to jump onto the bed every night and I really don't mind it at all. All switches right next to my bed post would be most lovely.

The bed is accompanied by a small couch and a pretty white round table for a cup of tea and cookies for supper, while watching Nanny on Hallmark.

Large windows that stretch all the way to the ground, with dust-free curtains, colour close to the shade of the wall. Peering out to the mountains and the clouds hovering over them.

This is the place of inspiration. And home it shall be next.

The Man in the Air Part 1

2010-02-24T20:10:00.000-08:00

I found myself in a cafe. Sipping hot chocolate. The plate of chocolate chip cookies were left untouched. I was drenched and drained. And I was in a wedding dress. A simple satin gown with a long train, I had trouble sitting down. My eye make-up smeared across my face, not bothering me though. I just continued with my hot chocolate as I watched the waiter go up and down the aisle of the cafe.

The waiter asked if I would like to have a seat in the roof-deck, the customers had left. I can lie down and look at the sky, he said. Sounds like a great idea. Such a sweet gesture. I said ok, I moved, dragging my long train along. I removed my wedding dress. It was too heavy to bear. And I lay myself on the mess of satin on the sofa bed, covering myself from the cold with the long train. This is when I open my eyes fully, once again. Blinding but the sky is strikingly beautiful. The whites covering the wholeness of the blues. My eyes moved along with the floating clouds.

I fell asleep. Little reds and blues splattered across the skies. They looked like kites but they were too fast. They flew across the sky in a haphazard manner. They also looked like remote-controlled planes flown by young boys. As I strained my eyes further, I saw faces. Faces on the kites, or planes, whatever they might be. A face, a body... Humans, on a flying equipment. A flying competition between the red and the blue team? I was too tired, too weak to respond to this amazing sight. I just looked upon.

One red kite noticed me and darted towards me. That shook me up from my dream. My eyes flew open and he was right in front of my eyes. Wasn't I dreaming? No. The sound of the propellers on his back was deafening. He stretched out his hand, and said Hi. Though startled, my reflex was to greet him back. I stretched out my hand to his and said Hi. He held my hand and came closer to me. He whispered in my ear,"I have been looking at you for awhile. You are beautiful."

That sent a tingle to my toes. I wished time could stop at this moment, with this man staring at me, holding my hand, his mouth close to my ears that I could feel his breath on me. It did not matter that he was a stranger. He felt close.

Who is to blame?

2009-10-28T02:23:00.000-07:00

When we get a new job, we always give ourselves a pat on our backs, saying 'well-done on the interview', 'great choice of clothes', or 'good that I told them I can work LONGG hours'.

When we fall sick, we go straight to God and ask him, "What do you want me to learn from this sickness?" "Is it patience? Or is this a punishment because I told my mum I would be back for dinner and did not..."

Doesn't this sound familiar? The irritating colleague who always take the credit for work that you've done? You, being blamed for some project your colleague simply forgot to follow up. Yet, every single day, we do this to God. We claimed the credit of the blessings He has poured on us and we blamed him for the sicknesses and failures. How ironic that we only remember him at our worst.

Think for a moment.

White Effect 02 - Room 708 .

2009-08-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

One of the men in white robes turned and stared at the door, in my direction. He was wearing a white mask, the theatre kind, and the comedy version. My heart skipped a little. All of the men in the room are wearing white theatre masks, some comedy, some tragedy.

He seemed to notice my presence. But no, after a huge long stare at the door, not me, he turned back and looked intently at the table right in front of him. A long metal platform. There were about eight men at the table, all busy with whatever was on the table.

Room 708 looked very much like a surgery room, very minimal though. Men in white robes, let's just call them doctors. Those assisting them with the equipment were in white robes too. No other forms of differentiation at all. They are probably all doctors, just different levels of seniority.

The equipment were all kept in metal box cupboards with wheels. And nothing else significant, at all.

I closed the door, very carefully again. There will surely be an empty room. Somewhere down the long walk...

White Effect 01 - Room 708 .

2009-08-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

The queue was incredibly long. I inched my way in, to catch a glimpse of the long-awaited event.

The room smelt of alcohol swaps and metal. Not pleasant at all.

The registration is divided into different categories. Nationality, then race, then age, then parts.

Parts? What parts? Why is there a category 'parts'? Puzzled.

They seemed to be under-staff. Too busy to notice the papers that have flown onto the ground. Too busy to notice me, even. I picked up the paper.

Racey Mice . 32 . Liver. Room 708. Wow! They have 708 rooms?!

So I ventured in further, no one bothers to stop me though. Can they even see me? Came to a corridor, pointing to 100 - 500 on the right, 501 - 900 on the left. 900 rooms in total, I reckoned. Racey Mice shall be it, I took a left turn and started my 200-more rooms walk. Well, the rooms are pretty small, it should be a short walk.

Room 708. I turned the knob, very carefully, and took a peep. It's a sight of all white. White walls and men in white robes.