the power of the social media

There has been so much HooHa about the power of the social media over the last few years. The overnight success of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg's rise to fame, the power of twitter leading to the uprising in Egypt. Over the last 8 hours, I have witnessed the power of the social media too! I took part in this singtel contest for a pair of Wembley tickets to the UEFA Champions League Finals in Wembley! My family members and friends were extremely supportive. Overnight, I had 32 friends sharing the same link on their wall and asking their friends to like the photo for me too. Well, it is not an uphill task to click on the link and like a photo but is it worth their time especially when they do not get to share the prize. All they get is a word of thanks. But I am really heartened by them willing to help me out and broadcast the message to their other friends.

Thanks peeps! No amount of thanks can convey my gratitude. People who know me well will know what I value in life and the "thank you" that I said came out from the bottom of my heart.! :) Eventually, even if I did not win the football tickets, I realise that I have won something even more important in life. The love and care and concern of the people around me. :) Thanks a zillion, everyone who helped me to like the photo! I may not know you, may not have met you, may not have spoken a word to you, but the world is small. Some day if you see me along the streets, call out to me. I will be glad to be able to thank you personally. And our friendship blossoms from there! :)

Here's the link. http://miostadium.com/contests/crazyfanatics Row 5 3rd column!

I missed tennis 3 times in a row!

I hate the weather! Hate hate hate!!

I wanted to play tennis around 6.30 p.m. and the sky was clear and sunny all afternoon up till 5.30 p.m. So I made alternate plans to play tennis in the afternoon at 3.45 p.m. the next day. Great, the lightning risk is on at 3.30 p.m. Now it is really F the weather to the max! ARRRGGHHH!!!

What are words.....

It's a small small world

Readers of my blog would realise that I hardly blog about school. Yeah, indeed. I do not find leisure in discussing about my school life on my blog most of the time. However, there have been too many coincidences in school recently.

Two of my former students are in my class this year and I think I am really blessed to have them in my class. :) There are a million reasons behind why they stayed back for another year but I tell myself that I must believe in them, believe that they are motivated to learn and they will one day prove their worth to the many people out there that they are students worth spending time on, and worth giving them a second chance.

Of course there are other interesting characters around. There is a boy who is from South Africa in my class (but he is Asian)! When I first observed the class, I told myself to be prepared for the worst because his behaviour suggests to me that I am in for serious discipline. However, when I actually took over the class, he caught me by surprise. He told me he was from South Africa and he speaks with an American accent. Lol! He does not give me any problem at all because he takes pride in his work and he submits all his assignments on time. I guess having a good start and introduction to the class really matters. I caught him along the corridor and had a good chat with him the very day I took the lesson and got to know him better. He told me that he found himself to be pretty out of place in the school at times because no one's like him in the school. So I encouraged him to be himself and I really look forward to seeing him shine among his classmates. :) When I had lesson observation last week, he probably earned me credit. Initially, the class was pretty tense until he made a comment "Oh very well," and the class started laughing. I do not think that the comment had any meaningful connotation behind it but somehow the class was more relaxed after that comment.

And there's this other Indian-chinese in my class that perturbed me a lot initially. He is the typical "I-don't-give-a-damn-shit" about school kind of student and honestly, I was once like him. So I know that no amount of threats or punishment can actually motivate him to be more attentive in my class. All I need to do is to ensure that he does not disturb the rest during class. However, over the course of two weeks, I see a drastic change in his attitude. Initially, when he sees along the corridor, he will just walk past me as though I am invisible. Nowadays, he will call me "Cher" and I am really taken aback. :) He will chit-chat with me and sometimes we crack jokes along the way. As a teacher, I know how important it is that your student is willing to walk side by side with you. This shows that he respects you and that he is not ashamed to let people know that, "Yes, this is my teacher and I walk beside her because I think she is just as cool as me." I really do not know what changed him but I appreciate the fact that he has now become much more matured. He's like a little angel in my life these days because when I see him smiling and responding in class, I know that he is listening and he is learning. :)

I always believe that respect does not accompany your social status or designation. You have to EARN it! If you don't concur, do watch World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles. :)

The Adjustment Bureau

I caught the movie, the Adjustment Bureau last weekend and I was satiated after the show. Many perspectives presented in the show struck a bell within me. Perhaps I could just mentioned a few.

People who accomplish great things in life have a capacity that simple things like love, family, etc cannot fill. Have you ever watched "A beautiful mind'? If you did, you would understand where I am coming from.

We often set sail upon a certain route in our lives. At times, we may derail from what was set to be accomplished. When we do, something or someone comes into our way to remind us to get back on it. But have you ever questioned what veered you off the track? Was it love? Or was it your indecisiveness?

Do not be too certain about what can complete you as a person. It is not always the "big" things that you aspire to accomplish in life. Love can fill the desire in you so much that you are willing to sacrifice the "big" things. Or could it be that love can fuel you to accomplish even bigger things?

And so, which party do you seek allegiance to?

Realistic expectations

I set realistic expectations for myself and I live up to them most of the time, less one.

Others have their own different set of expectations of me.

But because my own expectations supersedes what others have of me always, I never fail them.

I never have to live up to others' expectations.

I know of the expectations of me this time round. Will I live up to it yet again?

He was a good man.....

When I feel for someone, I pen my thoughts for them. Tonight, I attended a wake and these are my thoughts for the deceased's family. That deceased may not be someone I know personally, but his family will someday become my family's family. And we are all one family under the bigger concept of LOVE.

Father: a man in relation to his natural child or children;

Father: a man who has continuous care of a child; a man who gives care and protection to someone or something;

Father: the oldest or most respected member of a society or other body.

Yes, he was a Father in every aspect above.

He gave life to me and that spoke of all that one could think of our relationship.

He watched the day I cried for the first time in my life, held my hand ever since I was a child, sat by me when I failed my examinations, stood quietly among the crowd yet applauded proudly for me on my graduation day, guided me to discover about the bigger universe during holidays, and that care never stopped even for a second. I call that continuity.

He battered with life, his business, worries, how to care and support the family, and eventually sickness. He was the most respected member of a society - our cosy little family.

We are all aggrieved by his departure but despite his death bringing about grief, elsewhere in another corner of the world, a newborn may be bringing about joy. I believe every end is a new beginning just like how the sunrise ensues the sunset.

He was created out of love, created others whilst in love, and eventually left for the better world above us on a day of love.

Father, I abide by your teachings and your words. Like you, I will live out my own eulogy.

Yes, he was my father, ______.

Dedicated to: M & J

It was in love I was created and in love is how I hope I die. - Paolo Nutini

I know it is late but I have something to say...

MM Lee once said, "The Westerners marry the woman they love. We, Asians, love the woman we married. However, I marry the woman I love and love the woman I married."

I guess his words are applicable to every context or situation in life.

You can choose to pursue a career that you love or you can love the career that you are pursuing now.

You can choose to appreciate the family that you are born in or pursue the family that you will appreciate.

You can choose to buy the things that you like but struggle financially or love the things that you have bought because you could not afford the more expensive choice.

You can love the friends that appear in your life or made only friends that you love.

Eventually, you can choose to be in a situation that you love or love any situation that you are being placed in. It is all about the mentality.

So shall we all be positive from today onwards and love the things that we are doing so that they will eventually become the things that we enjoy doing. :)