Sleep more to slim

Read a newspaper article that the more a person sleeps, the slimmer the person gets. WOW! It states that a person's awake hours will be reduced so the body do not need to function (move around) that much and hence, reduce the need for food (or junk food). It sounds logical and I have read similiar articles concerning this. By sleeping, the body goes into rest mode and do not need that much energy.

Even though many times it has to do with personal discipline, I have also read it somewhere that when a person feels hungry, it may not be hunger, it could be thristy. Hence, try to take a glass of water and if 10 to 20 minutes later the person still feels hungry, then feel free to eat. Hence, we do have any extra food intake.

Another article suggest that if we want to slim down, we can take a glass of water before meals. Because the water will fill some capacity in the stomache, then let food fill the rest. This way we can prevent ourselves from overeating.

Weary........... after two weddings in three days!!!!!

Wah sia! I just attended two weddings in three days, one on sunday and another on tuesday. Some people can be really unforgiving, someone here leaves the wedding at 11 plus, sleeps at 12 plus, then wakes up at 6:30am to go to work. For goodness sake, put the wedding on a saturaday. Supersititious stuff like aspicious dates do not work. The success of a marriage depneds whether GOD is in the relationship.

I have read a report in the papers that if a perosn goes with less five hours of sleep on Monday for a series of 5 days, by friday, the person will have an IQ of a 70 (equivilent to Mr Forest Gump with sleep). No wonder, I feel abit slow playing my guitar today.

Well, time to go fight the Z monster. cheers

sino-american relationship

Well, I had dinner tonight with my cg, with two guests, an American guy (AG) and a China chinese girl (CC). It is a really interesting situation. Dinner was going fine, you know the usual stuff like how are you? what do you do? Then AG asked," What will happen if China invades Taiwan?" Being chinese CC, she has her point of view and I must say I respect that. However for me, being direct, I let out that US will fight with Taiwan against China. OOPS! I guess most china chinese will stand for the same stand that taiwan and china is 1 china, so does CC.

My stand? I guess I respect that Taiwan is or can be called a state on its own. Why? Because there are many times in the history of China, when even though 1 China, but it has being seperated into many states (calling country on its own).

Example 1: During the time of Qin Dynasty, there were seven countries (if it is called seven states, then the seven states will have one central government, but No...... It has seven emperors, seven courts. court officals do not serve one emperor.) Secondly, in chinese, it is called "qi guo" (meaning seven countries). Thirdly, because of the ambition of Qin emperor, he started to conquer the other six countries, so there is a saying "qi guo chen yi guo" (meaning seven countries to one country) why do they use "guo"?

Example 2: During the warring states, it is seperated in "san gou" (three countries), with Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Quan. Cao Cao was just a prime minister to the emperor, who was being controlled by the prime minister. Liu Bei is just the royalty, the uncle of the emperor, who later set up his own "country" Dong Wu with he being the emperor. Sun Quan comes from a family of Lords over the some land and during chaos, called himself emperor and declare the soverign of his kingdom.

Even though there is evidences of different countries within China, there has never being reconcilation without a war. But if US is involved, I believe it will lose. Why? US has fought two wars indirectly against China.

First, in the Korean War, the US army was pushed back (till they were about to fall off the island), then General McAurthor brought his army into Korea at the thirty-eight degree latitude, cutting off the communist (Koreans and Chinese) army. Hence, it resulted in North Korea and South Korea at the thirty-eight degree line, which is never resolved even now, so the two countries are still offically at war.

Second, in the Vietnam War, the vietnamese took up arms to drive out the French Amry, resulting in two countries, North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam enlist the help of China, while South Vietnam had the help of US. US army lost 50,000+ soldiers and 300,000+ wounded and defeated by the communist army and driven out of Vietnam.

So it is a sticky situation for me to say this to AG and CC, whom I may have unwittedly offended but hey! it is not my style to flatter. HaHa..............

Time flies, really fast!

Wow! I did not realised that it has been more than a week since I blog. Or roughly since the first week of term 4. The rush has been ridiculously mad, like a headless chricken. I have seen it before during a holiday trip to China. The chicken was running around banging everything around with its head hanging by the side.ARGhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Time really flies! During the time I did not blog, we have maid chopping maid and dumping body in orchard road, Katina running through New Orlean (causing man to act like animals) and three bloggers to get arrested for Sedition Act(What on earth is that? Is it a play?) repeated on the papers for the last few days running.

Thinking of it makes me think my three years bond is ending in may next year (few months time) Yahoo! I survived. I am a survivor. But got to plan my next step, whether to stay or move: move to another school, move to HQ or move out. GOD show me your ways and your perfect will for my life, show me the open doors and I will follow. Amen.

To the new trainees in NIE, good luck, you will finish your three year bond, not before you learn to multi-task (handle two to three projects concurrently), be at two place at the same time (two courses or meetings occuring at the same time), digging ( dig yourself from the mountain of papers stracked on you especially at mid-year and end of year. Imagine seven classes of fourty answer script), drink dark thick coffee ( so that you can stay up for three days two nights in order to key in marks on the fourth day), running ( of your CCA involved running. If your CCA involved diving, you must also learn to diving), sing soprano (strenghten your diphagram so you can sing karaoke better and longer breath from all the shouting in the classroom), forture telling (coz you are expected to be able to foresee problems like pupils bashing each other up) and tai-chi (to avoid flying eyeless arrows, if dun know then learn qing gong). There are the basic skills needed, other specialised skills required the great master to teach ( I haven reach there yet).

We make fun of these stuff, but I think at the end of the day, it is important to have FUN. (especially holiday is coming) Hurrah!

Copyright theft

Recently, my school play host to the beginning teachers in the cluster for a tea session. I got to learn that the beginning teachers received a booklet with my design on it. They have made amendments to the words layout and some words. WOW! When did I give the permission to use the background? ROBBERY!!!!!

It all started two years ago when I just joined the school and tasked to design a reflection booklet for the beginning teachers. It was quite a success till all the teachers in the school received a copy. Last semester, I got news that I have to amend and alter some design again and so using the same background, I produced a improved version. However, It was KIV, because colleague P said why not use the batik design on the booklet? Hence, I was no longer involved.

So with the new version out to the cluster with my design, I am pleased that my design was used, even without my permission, but upset because I was being robbed in broad daylight of the recognition I deserved. When a designer produce a work for someone, does it give the owner permission to change it and use it? I design it for the school so is it the school property? One occassion, another H.O.D. wanted to use my design on the school teacher file and he was generous enough to ask me first. But in this case, *sigh* ......................

To pray in the Spirit or not

Just had cell group and we talked about people from different dinominations, coming together to worship and pray. So some are uncomfortable with others praying in tongue. Hence, this is the discussion. Should we continue to pray in tongue when we know that some people are uncomfortable or continue to be lead by the Holy Spirit?

One reasons that if one should stumble another christain(who do not believe in speaking in tongue) because of the speaking in tongue, then we should not do it. And Paul says in 1 corinthians 14:6-9 that unless the speaker speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone understand what you are saying? You will just be speaking to the air.

Another mention about verse 13 that anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he say.

My stand? We are missing the big picture here. What is the primary objective of coming together in our work place to worship? It is to praise GOD and to worship him. I am not interested how the person on my right or on my left prays whether in tongue or not. I am concern whether I meet GOD here, I want to connect with my Father in heaven and be in His presence. It is my relation with my Father, whether I am pleasing Him, which is more important than the person next to me.

Second point, if they are unsure or uncomfortable with spirit behind the tongue, read 1 John 4:1-4. Do not believe every spirit, but TEST the spirits to see whether they are from GOD,.......This is how you can recognise the Spirit of GOD: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from GOD, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from GOD.

Third point, when we come together in our workplace to pray, we come with the understanding that we come from different dinominations and pray to GOD differently. So if we are children of GOD, SHOW love to each other. 1 John 4:16 to 1 John 5:4. GOD is love. Whoever lives in love lives in GOD, and GOD in him. In the same way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgeent, because in this world we are like Him. there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out the fear, because fear has to do with punishment. the one who fears is not made perfect in love. WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US. If anyone says, "I love GOD," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. for anyone who does not love his brother , whom he has seen, cannot love GOD, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves GOD must also love his brother..........This is how we know that we love the children of GOD: by loving GOD and carring out his commands.

This is one of the reason why I am a chirstain. Coz GOD loves me and sent His only begotten Son to die for my sins so that I can enter the gates of heaven. What a wonderful GOD we have. Amen.

"Old" teacher Mr Toh Thank You

Wah! I was attending the IT Symposium today and I met a old teacher of mine. He is not really old as in 50 plus in age, but it has been just over ten years since I left JC, where he just started his teaching career as a begining teacher. Today he is already a H.O.D. and I am just beginning in my career in teaching.

I recognised him as someone familiar, however, he came over and called me by name. My goodness, who is this man? After he introduced himself, I remembered him. My teacher remembered me as the one who is always in the swimming pool. (used to be in the school swimming and water polo team.) Hahaha. What a pleasant surprise! Thank you Mr Toh.

To my music teacher with love

Well, it is the one week break. It is a good time to rest, even though it is not total rest, it is time to do some reflection. ( this is the latest word in the business of teaching, same for reflective teaching)

I must say that i do not think that I have any teachers, who have impacted my life, let alone change my life. I have some bad experiences with them, which i have carried in my life. I must admit that i am an idiot to music. My music teacher also picked me to answer question every music lesson and as expected, i look foolish and unable to answer. the notes and chords looked like black spots to me and they did not mean anything to me, I could not understand what is the difference between A, B, C, G. This had left a scar, which i carried for many years through secondary school education. I comforted myself by saying my musical intelligience is not developed (Howard Gardener's Multiple Intelligences). It did not helped that my music teacher always picked on me, making me look stupid.

Thank GOD! He has brought healing in this area. I always have a guitar at my house, which the previous cell leader left behind so that he need not carry the guitar to my place for cell group meetings. Even though the guitar was in my house, I have never taken it out to play. I always thought I can never play it (remember my scar above). My Merciful Father in Heaven brought into cell group a fellow brother, who encouraged(arrowed) me to lead worship and he will play guitar. During the practice, he encouraged me to learn. The second person is a fellow colleague in the school. She is middle aged, but she has just picked up the guitar and could understand the struggle. She provided the chords and taught me how to place my fingers.

Through prayers and few weeks of practice, I can say that I can play a few worship songs and may move on to play during cell group. Praises to GOD!

Teachers, we have a great task. Even if our students cannot understand the lesson and always fail, it is ok, it is more important to keep encouraging them. My teacher failed me, I am a teacher of Normal Technical pupils, I cannot fail my pupils. It is important to celebrate their little success in their learning.

Superstar, not superstar

It has been days since the finals of the superstar. It only goes to show that some singaporeans are really fools for charity. Not wanting to bring in the NKF saga, I have to say that it is a superstar programme, not a charity event, where some supporters call in so that some blind man can become the first superstar. It is as if saying that Singapore has no talented 'handsome' or pretty men or women to represent Singapore that we must have the Singapore first Stevie Wonder (as labeled in the Today papers). *sigh*

I believe, the oversea audience will be laughing till their jaws are sore when they hear of this Singapore Stevie Wonder, whom we have voted to be our superstar. We should have a more globe vision, as the Singapore market for local singers is small, so these singers must going oversea to develop their career farther in Taiwan and Hong Kong, just as what their singers have done by coming over here, if they want to see their superstar succeed. Support with heart, not with the mind, have a farther vision. But who knows? If William Hung can creat a career out of nothing, our Stevie Wonder may succeed. All the best.

I am just a by-stander when i make my comments, as I do not support any other superstars or watch the senseless programme. Do you know that the total three hours plus finals programme has advertisement time of an hour plus? Imagine the amount of advertising dollar put in to attract your attention and watching one hour plus of what the advertisers want you to see and not what you want to see. Cheers

A Teacher's cries

My moody today is like the weather today, dark, cloudy with a little dizzle.

Bad news for me, a guy same batch is getting a promotion to 1a2. Even though everyone will get to 1a2 only a mean of time, but we just got promoted to 1a1 last october. Of course, they can say he does school wide activity, but what a shit hole, he was given the oppotunity run the activity. It is a sign that no matter how much you put in, if a person is not given the oppotunity, there is no chance of proving yourself. MY GOD, what is your will in my life? What is your purpose for putting me in this place? What are the lessons i should learn from this? ABBA FATHER, you said that if your people would humble themselves and pray, you will come from heaven and not turn your face away and heal our land. I am truely humbled, LORD and turn to you to find comfort. I lift my burden to you, LORD.

The "gahmen" (word taken form the Today paper, refering to government) says that they want teachers to have a lighter work load so thay implement TLLM (meaning teach less, learn more). Why are they so sure that teahcers want a lighter work load? Why not try take away EPMS( Enhanced Performance Management System)? Which part of it is enhanced i realy dun see it, except enhanced in the amount of working on it. But that aside, why i suggest EPMS. Because the teacher's yearly ranking is dependent on the amount of work he or she accomplishes. And all the work is recorded in this EPMS, hence, TLLM = less work = lower ranking among the teachers = less (sometimes ever no) performance bonus next march. So why would a teacher want to do less work? By the way, TLLM or classroom teaching is considered normal duties, which warrants only a 'D' grade, meaning teacher only does what is expected, 'normal', so no performance bonus, but got a report to explain why teacher only get 'D' and what teacher plan to do next year to achieve a 'C'.

Secondly, in order to teach less, we cannot use the existing workbooks coz not student-centered. so poor teacher has to find resources, plan activity(or activities), create new worksheets before the lesson. And during the lesson, teacher has to split pupils to groups, give specific instructions(or else pupils will go around like headless chicken and nothing is accomplished), set timings for each activity. After all the running around activity, teacher has to gather the pupils, lead them back to the theory to conclude the lesson. This is not inclusive of the normal duty of marking ALL the worksheets. Or else parents complain that thay have no confidence in the teacher to help their children do well for the exams, because no homework. Ever wonder if any teacher complain that thay have no confidence in the parents because parents bring up children who cannot think for nuts, dun want to do homework to school so that teachers can teach them. Hence, TLLM not = less work, but 2 X work.