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看着这些照片...心里不知为何有一股冲动。

偶尔...还是会问自己，到底这一切值不值得。

对他们来说，拍照也只不过是拍照...而对我来说，这些照片价值可非凡。

每一班都有蛮多人没到场...而当中就有我以为会赏我的脸而出席的人。

看来...我错了。

庆幸的是大致上的人都到齐了。看他们拍得那么愉快，我也一起愉快起来了。哈哈...

下个星期有多一轮...希望出席率不会比今天逊色吧。：）

偶尔...又发现噢，值得的...值得的。

Mmm.

:)

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I'm BACK! It's late though... so I'll just be posting the stuff I typed on the plane and then catch up with some rest. Work looms ahead... shall not think about it for now!

Here goes:

I'm currently on board SQ15 from Seoul, about five hours from touching down to Singapore once again.

Well, it's been a good trip on the whole, just that I didn't really get to have much personal time to rest - the schedule's practically packed from day one till the very last day - the only times I had was in the nights when I would take quick strolls and hang round the nearby supermarkets... Haha. I remembered how I enthusiastically wrote long journal entries for my '98 trip to Los Angeles... don't think I'm game to jot down everything in detail this time round... just some bits and pieces and the things that stood out.

The plane touched down at San Francisco International Airport Saturday afternoon... then we're ferried to the Parc 55 Hotel near Union Square where we checked in and immediately went out for a bus city tour. A very chilly experience crossing the golden gate bridge on the exposed second deck of the bus I must say! Haha... but I'm thankful... can still remember the thoughts I had the year before, that it would be great if I could make a visit someday either through ThinkQuest or a personal holiday... and here I am now. :) We had dinner (another thing to be thankful for, for the team and chaperones to be travelling and touring together) at the basement of Macy's, where I had a taste of Boudin, the apparently famous bakery chain. Took a little stroll around the area and enjoyed a bit of the cool and dry air that I last enjoyed ten years ago. Haha... yup, that pretty much summed up the first day.

ThinkQuest Live! officially started on Sunday morning - headed down to the Parc Ballroom where the event's held. There was this staff at the registration counter who recognised my name - she mentioned that she had been with ThinkQuest even before Oracle Education Foundation took over its running... Haha was quite surprised that I'm remembered! Met Hui, the Oracle Foundation staff from Singapore, who's mending one of the registration tables. Chatted a while before heading into the ball room for breakfast.

They have this area where they set up a network of computers connected to the internet for our usage - it was previously known (pre-Oracle days) as the Generator - now it's called the Think Tank. Took the opportunity to check mail first... haha. Ice-breakers came next... then the coaches had a separate "seminar" luncheon in one of the rooms that basically talked about facilitation and role of coaches in general.

The boys had their website showcase in the afternoon - they took turns to present their website while the rest went round the other booths to listen to the other teams. It's heartening to see the way they presented and explained their project to those who surrounded their booth - sure did bring back some memories of me doing the same thing ten years ago! Haha... Had a good chat with Hui exploring the ways we could extend the competition to more students and schools in Singapore in the midst of the showcase - there's this tugging of the heart to know that I could be more involved in the future... but for now, I know the station where I am to keep to, and as far as He has led, I'll just continue to trust in His leading and provision. Haha... yeah I know this sounds cryptic. :P

Welcome dinner was held at a yatch club near to the golden gate bridge... we were treated to some great sunset views of the area (check out the photos! (: ) before returning back to the hotel.

Monday marked the start of the workshop. The entire team opted together to attend the "Sustainable Design" workshop - we visited Argone, a kindergarten with 'green' architechture and also a private "showcase" apartment built entirely on 'green' concepts - very posh looking! The most amazing part is that it has a huge wind turbine that generates about two-thirds of the house's electricity needs.

We're tasked on the second day to think of sustainable house designs - each group was given a different area of the house to think about: energy, water, public stuff (living room, kitchen) and private stuff (toilet, bathroom). The groups were taught brainstorming rules and engaged in a time of disccussion before each team came up with their ideas. Ruijin and Fanghui were in the private stuff group... they invented this all-in-one self sustained toilet seating furniture that doubles up as toilet bowl, work space, shower... you get the idea. They later termed it as iPoot in their presentation to everyone on the third day... which brought much laughter in the hall. Most of them understood it as iPoop, as Poot isn't exactly a term that most would know. Haha... cheecky boys.

We went to the Alcatraz and the Exploratorium for our excursions... The audio tour in Alcatraz was interesting - it was an intersting sight too to see the throngs of tourists walking around the place in unison but in different paces, each listening to the audio device given to us. It's interesting too to note how money is being made now off a defunct prision facility... Haha. Exploratorium was cool though!! We were given two hours or so to explore the place... I didn't have time to finish all the science exhibits. Spent a little time in the shop before we were supposed to meet up again to return to hotel... was contemplating hard whether to make some purchases... there's this air pump gun that shoots out a strong puff of air which caught my attention... but I had to leave before I had enough time to clearly make a decision. Sigh! Now it feels like there's unfinished business... I want to get back there! Haha...

Met up with Jason!!! Haha... he's an American friend whom I've met face to face in 1998 - ever since then we've been in contact - had the privilege to have an extended stay at his place in San Diego back then... twice! Haha... Worked subsequently with his mom on a couple more winning projects in 1999 and 2000. He saw my Facebook status and knew about my location, popped a message to say that he's just forty plus minutes from my hotel... and so we arranged to meet on the only free afternoon I had - Wednesday afternoon, before the Awards ceremony in the evening. He came to the hotel... we took a walk round the area. He called Mrs. A (his mom) on his cellphone and we had a chat for about twenty minutes while walking... eight years since I've last heard her voice!! :D We bought Ben & Jerry's and headed towards Union Square to sit and chat... had a good time hearing from him about his work at Microsoft and his dances. Really appreciated him making his way down just to catch up! :)

Then the highlight of the week's events began - the Awards Dinner and Ceremony. It was held in some theatre - we had red carpet treatment complete with paparazzi-like photo taking... hats off to the people at Oracle Foundation. Haha...

I'm sure this has been quite an experience for the five of them, as well as for all the other privileged students. One of the students from India noted something on the last day during farewell dinner... which I resonated with very much in my heart, that ThinkQuest really has given much to those who've participated in it in its true form - the chance to taste international collaboration, and especially for the lesser privileged, the chance to travel and have their experience of a lifetime.

Which is why I really hope that this year the boys will learn to go beyond their personal comforts and their focus simply to win the contest, but be challenged enough to meet new friends from over the world and work on meaningful projects. Exciting days ahead...! :)

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... should be renamed September Busy. lol.

I finally brought my guitar to my boarding school apartment... there are times when I really feel like reverting back to those good ol' times (not that it's that very long ago la) when all there was was coming back home to play the guitar and write new songs... and in a way, that was when I was spiritually very much filled too. But I know I should not rely on that to get my walk with Jesus goin... it should be in all circumstances... YEP. Still, I am glad that the guitar's here!!! (:

Went to catch ACJC Drama Elective Programme Year 1's exam pieces, "Inventio 2008", where 5's in one of the plays. The five bucks for the four plays... it's pretty worth the price - standard's there... don't play play. Haha... seriously. The play 5's in depicts the life of a family of which the daughter's stricken with cerebral palsy. Some of the feelings and frustration shown in the play were heartfelt... my mom and I were really close in the past. I being the quiet one (still very am), there would be times when I'm just sitting or lying by her bed in her room listening to her yak yak non stop... I would be the one following her around as she worked, from the music centres to all the kindergarten centres. There were many great moments we shared, even those times of just being in her centre, just the two of us...

Things just weren't the same anymore ever since mom had the brain hemorrhage and lays bedridden with a tracheotomy tube. There were many moments I had to guess if she actually understood whatever I was saying - every little nod or mouthing of word became so precious. Due to the nature of the brain bleeding, there is no way to assess what she knows or not know, what she remembers for has forgotten... there was a period of time I kept asking her to identify me by mouthing my name.. just to have a reassurance that she knows who I am.

Just a week ago, I decided to take a step forward and asked her if she knows where I am currently staying now as I told her about my school's boarding programme. All along the kind of responses I've been soliciting from her are those generic "yes", "ok" answers... and so I asked. She didn't respond first... so I went ahead and said "Bukit..."

Then she mouthed the word "Timah".

Haha... the part of the play whereby the daughter with cerebral palsy stood up and explained to the audience came to mind. In my mind I was imagining what my mom would be thinking then... like, crazy son... asking me such childish questions over and over again. Haha... I don't know if I share all my thoughts with her she would understand everything? I don't know... but I think I'll try that from now on everytime Aunty Witwit goes for her day off and I take over.

I hold on to the hope that she'll be well again and that I'll hear her voice once again... mm. :)

It's great to see the rest at the play too... I miss them. Yeah... I really do. The times... the fun... mm. I guess I can't help it that we've seemingly drifted - it's something that I'm still trying to comprehend, how some relationships are kept in tact in spite of the lack of regular meetups and some just aren't. Well... well well.

One of my students got involved in a road traffic accident and was warded in NUH. Thank God it wasn't a serious case... he was still bubbly and very much himself (haha... yeah this boy has quite a unique personality) as he recounted to me the story when a couple of us visited him (and his forth time recounting that day). He was crossing the road when he was hit by a front view mirror of a lorry. According to him, his view was blocked by a bus... his recounting really reminded me of a piece of news I read as a young child that kind of stuck with me all the while, whereby a school student was hit and sent flying twenty metres or so as he was dashing across the street in front of a stationary bus.

I don't suppose that my student was jaywalking at the traffic lights - if not the bus nearest to him would have been moving and not stationary. And so... thank God that he wasn't running across... if not his whole body would have met the lorry head on. Mm. Really relieved to see him at his usual self... haha.

I wouldn't know how I'll react or respond if anything serious happens to my family, friends or my students. I wouldn't know how I'll perform as a counsellor in such times... and I can only hope I won't be found in such situations. So... yeah. Hope you'll get well soon. ;)

Char had her gown selection!! My dear dear's gonna look mature as she walks down the aisle... and princessy at the dinner! Hur hur... Her gowns selection took a couple of hours while mine took 15 minutes. Hahaha... we decided upon a chinese collared coat since I already have a normal collared one... so that gives us more selection for photoshoot and for the day itself. Time flies... 8 more months. It's quite scary to think of it, with so much of the preparations undone... but yeah, really thankful thus far for all the stuff that's covered, and really thankful that we've got a planner who's really responsible and "on the ball". More updates soon in time to come. :)

Ok. Dinner time.

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I was heartened when most of the boys in my cluster indicated that they would like to continue with the boarding programme after the three month window period.

I told one of their dads at the parent-teaching gathering last Friday... that the 34 who opted for the pilot programme basically had a taste of CSE in its entirety - it is kind of the missing piece to the whole jig-saw... the place where cross-consortia and cross programmes bonding occurs, the place where joy is emphasized.

Not that they get what they want, but it is the place where they learn how to help one another out, mix around... and engage in informal interactions, especially in the interstices.

We celebrated Hongwei's birthday towards the end of our cluster meeting... it took some time (the bonding and joy, that is), but I guess each photo does speak a thousand words.

Mmm.. yeah. Observing their interactions and how they're beginning to know one another better kinda cheered me up a little in the midst of turbulence.

The only things that would stand in their way in staying on would be their grades and attitudes... of which I'll trust that they'll really learn the co-dependence in the midst of independence which CSE stands for.

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I'm currently on the bus on the way to Joo Chiat... then we go eh, didn't Galvin just mentioned that he's finished his course? Haha... yeah. I missed two lessons a couple of months ago due to my work trip to Sydney, and so here I am going for make up lessons. I was so looking forward to a time to rest over this weekend and spending a little more time with Char... when Char fetched me home yesterday after work and told me about my lesson today (she tracked my google calendar) I let out a few disgruntled grunts... I forgot that the lesson's today. :|

Haha... anyways. Was a tiring day yesterday - co-organised a parent-teacher gathering for the cohort which I'm coordinating in school. There was so much admin involved, so many things to prepare beforehand... and during the event itself, the need to manage the helpers on top of meeting parents... then the clearing up.

Thankful for my bunch of wonderful student helpers (mostly the boarders) who managed themselves so much so I felt confident enough to let them be while I sat at my designated spot to meet parents. The gathering dragged for some time though - think quite a number of them grew a bit restless towards the end and were a little disgruntled... well well. Went for supper with some of them before heading back to finish some laundry... before Char came to pick me up.

It was a heartening experience interacting more with parents, to hear of their concerns for their sons and to think of the prospective opportunities to work with them in the future. I'm in a really unique position in my workplace though sometimes it may get a little weary having to be the in-between amongst the boys, their parents and the teachers. Have received feedback from the staff side that some weren't exactly pleased with the way the gathering was planned... well, I guess there's no one situation where all parties can be truly pleased... all I know is that I've tried my best to take all things into consideration.

Haha... yeah. It's a joy to see the boys in auto mode and settling the various venues, helping one another out and ensuring that the venues were ready and that they were put back in their proper places after the event. If anyone of you ever drops by... really appreciate the help rendered. (:

Okay... lesson time!

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The past couple of hours were spent trying to get a few pieces of clothing ironed in between futile attempts at getting msn to work and work itself. Prior to that, I was doing a little bit of unwinding with Char at Vivocity, catching a breather over dinner and a movie... we caught "Meet Dave".

It's a joy to hear her laughter... the lightness of it. I must continue to work to make my deardear laugh amidst all the stress and work that's piling up for the both of us. Haha yeah. Her students are giving her a run of her energies.. when she's already been drained and sick these days. And my current schedules aren't helping much - we're practically stretched in terms of schedules... and sometimes when I'm done with what I have to do, it would have been her bed time already. The nature of my current job as a boarding master is as such - sometimes my work extends into rather late nights.

Which is why I'm thankful for the weekly "no compromise" day when we'll both spend the evening together.. something that we started quite a long time back, when we both still had quite a bit of time together each week. Have been missing a week or two of it over the past weeks due to prior arranged appointments... This was probably the first proper evening when we could spend some time together... still it seemed short.

I'm not sure how we can successfully maneuvre through this season of time... but I do know that Pa's in charge.

Thank you dear for being so patient with me.. for the sacrifices you made... simply because you chose to love me. I will continue to jiayou so that I won't forever remain as your lau pok wllg. Remember to drink more water at work k... and just do as Pa would ba. Praying for you... wdwllp...WAN! HAHAN! :D

It's been sometimes since I blogged an entry... lots happened over the past two weeks or so... guess the best is to let the pictures do the talking with me interspersing a couple of words here and there:

Finally took some pictures of Covenant Evangelical Free Church's Woodlands premises.. where Char and I would be holding our solemnisation and reception next May. Yet to confirm cause I've yet to do up the documentations... which reminds me, I should be doing it real soon! Haha... it's amazing to think of it still - the first time I stepped into compounds on 3rd August, my jaw dropped when I saw that the chairs at the fellowship area are in orange and green... exactly the colours we chose as our wedding theme! Haha... yeah. It'll take some time to get used to the place first though - have grown to have the familiarity with the Bukit Panjang compounds which exude a more homely feeling... but yeah, this new one looks really cool I must admit! (: Haha... ultimately, it's really not about the buildings or how well they look... nothing beats God's presence. Where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is. :)

Keepying and Kaijie are two pals I made through ECCube, my high school's computer club. Some pretty fond memories we shared together... like how we visited the zoo and night safari for our project.. which eventually won us the accolade of being the first local secondary school to win a particular international competition. One went on to a poly and another to another jc... we kept in touch here and there - met with them individually in the past. Ten years passed... and we finally met together once more as a group. Had dinner at poolside, a place where we never went to while we were here as students. Brought them on a little night tour of the school... and as we reached Kah Kee Hall, Kaijie paused and had the expression of being overwhelmed that he's back in school once again.

Haha... I wonder if the current batches would have such feelings of nostalgia, of good memories ten, twenty years down the road. The Chinese High has been a special place... not the academic competitiveness, not the teachers' lectures... more so the people, the friends, the day to day experiences. I guess that did play a part in me choosing to be back bah. :)

Hahah oh oh... the graduate diploma phase of my professional counselling course has officially ended. (: In all, one high distinction and four distinctions for all assignments and final exam... with a commendation for practicum. Wouldn't have been possible if not for Pa's sustenance and grace... and Char's constant encouragement... and Gpp's prayers. :P This course really helped in allowing me to be equipped with practical skills to help the boys... but with all the mad schedules, I have to defer the masters phase for probably two semesters. Of course, I really won't know how Pa will lead in the months to come... there's a time to plan... and also a time to trust. We'll see how. :)

My dear sister has graduated from her Diploma in Multimedia course at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts!! She looks good in her grad gown man!! :D Haha... It's been a journey for her.. and I'm just glad that she pulled through - talk about strength and resilience. :) And yeah, glad to bump into Ah Hao, my first mentee of sorts whom I have not met for a VERY LONG TIME. Haha... fond memories, that man shall not live on bread alone but by the Word of God... Haha.

If you're reading this bro... I do hope that I'll get to see you more often in the future. ;)

Attended the school's chinese drama production last Saturday after dinner with Dori and dad... Kudos for a job well done! Enjoyed all the six mini-plays. Great to see so many familiar faces in the plays! :)

It's been three weeks since the boarding programme started... I've grown to see my cluster as 'family' though I would think not all of them would think that way. At the back of my mind I know that some of them would most probably leave after the 'try out' period, probably not because the programme's not good, but just because they would find the full length of stay too long. Well... in any case, I'll just have to make use of whatever time there is to get to know them better. This bunch of boys have been amazing and the most disciplined - something that I really didn't expect. Toilets are always kept clean, rooms are all generally well kept.. have yet to do a spot check this week though... shall do it soon. Heh heh heh....

And yeah, some of them have begun their tennis lessons which they'd opted for as part of the boarding programme. I'm supervising one group... they were having so much fun they got carried away with time on the first day. Haha... in any case, there were conflicting feelings then - was really glad to see them having fun and gelling together in that sense... yet on the other hand it wasn't right to drag beyond the lesson time as the coach and the lifeguard who manages the lightings of the court have to call it a day. It was a good opportunity to observe the level of discipline in each of the participants though! Haha...

Alright... guess I'll take a little rest for now. There're quite a number of pressing matters to settle at work later on - preparing for the parent-teacher gathering on Friday, settling next term's timetables and venues, fixing and sprucing a portal that I'd set up...

Till then. :)

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The CSE Boarding Programme officially started exactly a week ago on the third of August. It was kind of a mad rush... rushed to collect birthday cake to celebrate Weilun and Jordy's birthdays, then Char suggested that we get some food and drinks for the boys for cluster discussion time... ended up cabbing to boarding school full of stuff.

Welcome briefing... welcome dinner... and soon everyone settled down and started studying for their coming tests.

This is definitely a new phase of life for me... a transition that I have chosen to take, and with it comes a number of changes, a shift in certain priorities, etc. In a way or two, work is no longer a "nine to five" - my schedules have to be relooked into... sacrifices have to be made.

I'm thankful though to be given this opportunity to get to know these thirty plus of them better (hopefully)... and more so the twelve under my care.

The boys have been exceptionally disciplined and well behaved for the first week - the showers were cleared after usage, rooms kept reasonably clean and tidy... they left for school early, studied when it's time to during study period... everything went rather well... then I caught one of them playing dota during study period.

I didn't know why I had such a strong reaction then. Perhaps it would have been better if he would acknowledge his mistake instead of just giving all sorts of excuses... but I guess I took it a little personally because I chose to give all of them the trust that they'd do things at the right times.

I know deep down he's a good boy, just like a number of others who appear not to be on the surface... well.

IDT (Intentional Discipleship Training) on Friday evening touched upon mentoring, in which many trinkets of knowledge and experience were shared. Pastor KK shared about how he and Pastor Ed played and worked together when they first started their mentoring relationship some twenty years back.. how effective mentoring comes forth by first building the relationship. Joshua and Matt subsequently went up to share a bit about their best practices when it comes to mentoring pre-teens and teens.

Joshua talked about earning the right to speak into their lives; Matt talked about the acronym YOU.T.H - whereby the "YOU" represents the genuineness one gives to them, just being who you are when you're with them, not putting on a facade in front of them when you're actually another person elsewhere... "T" stands for Training, training them in skills and values, that they may grow up with these skills and values ingrained in them... and "H" stands for Him. In the context of Christian mentoring, he meant pointing the youths to God... and whereas I can't freely do so at work, the next best thing I could and should do would be to lift them up to God in prayer and trust that God would watch over them and protect them even as they grow up and venture into new territories.

I don't know how many of these boys and the batches to come would grow up to fit the mold of being one who'd work his buttocks off for money and appear successful at work... then spend half the money on clubbing, cigarettes and alcohol just to give himself highs simply because life's never seem so empty and low and because he doesn't know what he's living for.

What I do know... is that between now and then, it matters... a whole lot.

Let's see how it'll all go bah. (: It's late... I better get some rest when I'm given the opportunity to do so... so yeah. Adios!

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Yeah... I've been doing some backlog photo-montaging - kind of spammed recent entries with photos rather than words. Haha... It's partially due to my inability to make time to blog a recent post on what's happening lately. If I am to sum it up simply in a statement, it'll probably be:

Nah it's not so much of a cliche, but He is really good amidst the busyness and stresses. I wish that I'll be given time to jot down my thoughts properly though. Haha...

One more week of relief teaching to go; this batch of secondary ones are pretty good and responsive... do wish that I can continue to take them on, but I know I won't have the resources to do so given the amount of work that I already have. I've marked the term test papers of the three classes that have taken the test so far... and I have many of them scoring distinctions with quite a number of full marks. I'll think that most of them found the paper as no-kick. Haha... well. At least this will give them a boost for their overall subject score at the end of the year.

I went about taking class photos with them, as with previous batches. They're a really fun bunch I must say. I guess my only regret is that I won't get to know them the way I knew the previous two batches... well. Probably some of our paths will once again meet two years from now, that is if I'm still around. Hahaha... ah well. I think I will probably be unless I'm booted out first - I MUST see this batch of sec 3s move up and graduate from college section. They're the first batch of sec ones I first came to know of after all... and it's just heartening to be able to work with them again, this time round somewhat more closely.

But here lies the irony. I've taken class photos with those I've met only once per week for five weeks... and not with the bunch I've seen through for the past seven months. Taking class photos with this bunch of boys will be something that I'll really look forward to, yet I really don't know when's an opportune time to do so. Hmmm... well. I guess it'll take some planning.

In the meantime, here's this year's 1C, 1D and 1E. :) Click on the photos to access the entire collections: