Music and lyrics: Part of me

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:

You don't have to be a close friend of mine to know my widely publicized love for music. Currently, I have approximately almost 650 songs in my iTunes music library, a significant increase from the slightly-above-100 I had at the start of the year. Having specified what kind of music I listen to in my debut post, I shall now list down three things I look for in a good song.

1.) Lyrics:
The song itself can be catchy but it never gets into my good books (tunes in this case), if it doesn't contain wholesome and appropriate lyrics.

2.) Vocals:
A nice music track definitely has to be complimented with vocals which stand out, or at least touch you in some manner. Unlike several of my peers, I feel music alone doesn't stand well by itself.

3.) Tune:
A good song definitely makes you want to sing along.

I guess the tune and vocals of a song are more or less recognized as important in a world of music. You may be asking however, why I value lyrics so much.



Lyrics are the main part of a song; the body. A song with inspiring and uplifting lyrics is a good encourager when you are feeling down; likewise, lyrics wallowing in self-pity and self-denial have the ability to make you feel depressed and sorrowful. In this time and age, songs revolving impure subjects, such as suicide and sex are rampant. Worst of all, these songs most of the time have big choruses which are able to hook themselves into your mind even after having listened to them only once. Impure thoughts then start to infiltrate your mind, and before you know it, it's part of you. Likewise, if you choose to listen to songs with good lyrics, positivity and optimism become part of you.

It's hard to stick to your own morals and values, when our modern world encompasses a big portion of immorality and negativity which might eventually corrupt our minds. However, I do believe that by choosing songs with the right lyrics, we will be able to preserve our right states of mind and not be overwhelmed with following the world constantly, even when it is headed in the wrong direction.

Images courtesy of:

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Back to Bikes

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:

"We spotted a bike shop at simei. So we wil wait for u here! yeh!"

My church friends and I had just eaten lunch after the church service, and were heading back to our homes from the airport when I received the message from my mother. There was a sudden burst of excitement within me. 7 months! I had waited 7 months for this. Without delaying any further, I hastily headed down to the MRT station to take the train to Simei.

My old blue bike was a prized possession of mine. The apple of my eye, it never failed to disappoint when delivering speed and stability at the same time. Unfortunately, an overtly eager me had exerted to much strength on the pedals once, when I was cycling, in a bid to increase my speed, and as a result, unscrewed it from the axis of the pedal itself. As a result, I had not been able to cycle since the December holidays. A long and painful 7 months it was without my bicycle.

The bicycle shop sat humbly at a quiet end of East Mall, out in the open, where human traffic was significantly lower than inside the mall. Not a big shop, I noticed instantly, but that was no problem, for it still housed a sizable range of bicycles to choose from. My eyes instantly set themselves on a rugged looking mountain bike. Rough tire threads, intimidating wheel diameters, complimented with a black coat of paint: something I thought would make a perfect partner to speed. However, through the recommendation of the owner of the shop, we were led to a significantly smaller bicycle, this one blue in colour, but a lighter shade than the one I currently owned. This one possessed a user-friendly gear too. After my father and I had both taken it for a short ride, we fell in love with the way it ran so smoothly and hence paid for it there and then. I was the proud owner of a shiny new blue bicycle.

The next day, I immediately took my new toy for a spin around my estate. As I cycled out of the void deck, there was a rush of adrenaline in me, and I smiled as the wind welcomed me warmly, brushing against my cheeks. I appreciated that the gear system on my new bike allowed me to change the tightness of the gear system, which in turn affected how "light" or "heavy" the pedals were when you were cycling. I hardly enjoy taking the easy way out though, so I decided to put it to 7, the tightest the gear system can get.



Deciding to be ambitious, I cycled up to the flyover connecting Sengkang and Punggol. Don't let the arch shape of this seemingly easy challenge fool you though. The first half of the arch requires a large amount of stamina and leg power (for me at least) to conquer. Sure enough, when I had reached the peak of the arch, my legs were screaming in strain. The view and the breeze though, paid of my efforts. The downward ride was even more delightful, even exhilarating.

I guess the arch represents many things in life. The climb up is always the worst part, but once it's over, everything else brings us joy. So don't ever give up; falling down isn't defeat, not getting up is.

"Life's a climb, but the view's great."
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Fine Dining

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:

A humble sized but still refined looking garden separated us and the entrance to the Japanese restaurant. In the middle of it, stood two miniature fountains. Potted plants were lined up against one side of the garden; on the other, a waterfall, with the restaurant's name plated in chrome lying above it, mounted against a wall.

We were celebrating my brother's birthday in advance, and after much contemplation had arrived at this restaurant as our choice destination of the celebration. Excited as always, I took the lead and eagerly strode through the garden. Arriving at the entrance, I anticipated the normal door handles and was about to reach out and push one of the doors open, when the two doors slid open. Instantly, I was welcomed with a blast of cold air. A good first impression, I noted to myself. I looked around the restaurant in interest, as the rest of my family members appeared behind me. Based on the miniature garden, I had not expected the restaurant to be very big, and what I saw reassured my assumptions. A bar-like counter with chairs placed all around it was situated at the right side of the restaurant and on the left, two tables with tatami mats. I had seen this kind of arrangements from television shows promoting Japan, and was delighted at the close resemblance to to them.

Almost as soon as we had all stepped into the restaurant, a tall and burly man donning a chef's uniform and cap received us with a smile and led us to one of the tables, which we had reserved earlier on. Introducing himself as the manager and head of the restaurant, he quickly moved on to recommending the signature dishes of the restaurant. It took us a while to sort out our dinner menu, but we got it done eventually, and thereafter, went on a "tour" round the restaurant. It turned out that there were more tables and tatami seats, concealed behind three rooms with partitioned doors. In addition, there was another room housing two normal wooden tables along with a sofa and TV set. It was explained to us that those were rooms that had to be booked beforehand, along with a course meal which you decided on personally based on the dishes served at the restaurant. When asked about how many days in advance arrangements had to be made, the chef also told us that one day was enough, but Tuesdays and Fridays were better days to make reservations on, as seafood was flown in from Japan on these two specific days.

A while later, our food arrived. Being avid Japanese food fans, we could tell the difference between the quality of the food served here and those in normal outlets, such as Suki Sushi. Absolutely fantastic. However, this being a place of fine dining, I had to watch how I ate and spoke. I was often told off by my parents for speaking too loudly and handling my utensils wrongly. What followed was a very awkward me, trying to figure out the most refined way to hold my utensils and at the same time, ensuring that I was not consuming my food in a boorish manner, while trying my best to control the volume at which I spoke.

The dinner though, was overall a good experience. I enjoyed every single bit of food which entered my mouth, save a few pickles, and the ambiance and comfort of the restaurant further complimented the fine dining experience. The bill, you may ask? A whopping $293.65, even after a twenty percent discount. My jaw dropped when I realized how much we had spent on one dinner. My parents however, reasoned that a birthday celebration was a once a year affair. What's more, this had been the first time we had gone for fine dining as a family. Hmmm... Thanks Ma and Pa, but I think I'll stick to Suki Sushi.

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Gotta live like we're dying.

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:

Have you ever had a dream in which you were dying? I have.

It was most definitely not a pleasant one. Up till now, I have no conscious idea of how my sub-conscious mind had pictured me to be in that state. I have no clue as to why I was going to die, but I do remember of the dream is me lying on a pavement with a wound in my chest, breathing heavily, holding on dearly to whatever was remaining of my life. Thoughts and questions flashed across my mind. Confusion. Despair. I was overwhelmed with sorrow, as the realization of the fact that I would not even be able to whisper a goodbye to my family and friends hit me. Goodbye to growing old enough to drive. Goodbye to venturing out of Asia for a holiday. Goodbye to life. And then it was VOOM(I don't think any form of onomatopoeia describes how it felt as well as this non-existent word does), and I was up and watching bleary-faced me in the mirror brushing my teeth.

Do we actually live like we're dying? That is to mean, if you were to die tomorrow, would you be happy with the way you lived your life? I don't know about anyone out there reading this post, but I definitely wouldn't.

A song by Kris Allen, called Live Like We're Dying, pretty much sums up my thoughts about this matter. Here are the lyrics.

Sometimes we fall down, can't get back up
We're hiding behind skin that's too tough
How come we don't say I love you enough
Till it's to late, it's not too late

Our hearts are hungry for a food that won't come
And we could make a feast from these crumbs
And we're all staring down the barrel of a gun
So if your life flashed before you,
What would you wish you would've done

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying

And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye
Should be so careful who we live out our lives
So when we long for absolution,
There'll no one on the line, yeah

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying

Like we're dying, oh, like we're dying..

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying

You never know a good thing till it's gone
You never see a crash till it's head on
Why do we think we're right when we're dead wrong
You never know a good thing till it's gone

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying

Like we're dying, oh, like we're dying..

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying..

One important thing in living life without regrets, is living in the moment, as the song has expressed through it's lyrics. It's all about now. Not the past, not the future, but the present. We have to go about being sure of our actions, having a clear direction in life, and not just wandering around. Time wasted, will never come back. It's all about living in the present, in the "now" moment. The title of Taylor Swift's upcoming album, "Speak Now", is an apt point of view presented about how we should be living. See the "now" in that phrase? Don't be afraid to be speak out, don't be afraid to be who you are. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Be brave and face life as you would if you only had one more day to live. No room for regrets.

As the famous quote goes: live life, laugh lots, love forever.

Speaking of which, have you told your parents you loved them?

Lyrics courtesy of:
http://www.elyricsworld.com/live_like_we're_dying_lyrics_kris_allen.html
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Term 2 Home Learning: Rainbow Death - Hubert Wilson

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:
Task 1:

Rainbow Death

America did not foresee
 Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
 Expecting others to pay a high price.
 Now thinking twice?
 Toll on the innocent and unborn.
Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
 Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
 All the deceit continues to spread.
 Nefariously America led astray -
 Generations untold WILL pay -
 Execrable effects of agent orange spray!

The main object to draw your attention to in this poem is the "Agent Orange", as mentioned in the last line of the poem. "Agent Orange" is most definitely not what it suggests to be. Rather, it is the code name for a herbicide and defoliant used by the US Army in its herbicidal warfare program. Part of the "Rainbow Herbicides" group of chemicals, it was the most widely used herbicide, and has caused numerous health problems to those who have been used to it. The title of this poem, "Rainbow Death", refers to the deaths caused by the "Rainbow Herbicides".

Here, the writer of this poem, Hubert Wilson, shares about why he wrote the poem:

I am a Vietnam War veteran (as are my four brothers) who served in the USAF Security Service. I, along with a dozen or so intelligence school grads, prepped for about 14 months at Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Texas, before anticipating being sent to Vietnam or elsewhere in southeat Asia in 1970. About half ended up in Da Nang (an Agent Orange hotspot) in the 6924th Security Squadron. The rest of us were assigned to Shemya Island, Alaska, with the 6984th Security Squadron, and what eventually was a MORE contaminated environment than Da Nang!

My health problems started approximately 15 years ago with unexplained headaches and limb pains. Four years ago my central nervous system radically deteriorated with Parkinsonian type tremors, severe headaches, progressive limb pains, etc. No physician has ever diagnosed the specific illness. NO VA physician has ever rendered ANY medical assistance! My number one educated guess is the heavily contaminated drinking water at Shemya during my year there as an intelligence analyst. Organo-phosphate toxins may not run their toxic course until 20 to 30 years after initial exposure.

Since my brain still functions moderately well (and I have mobility issues), I have turned to writing just like my late Father and the late singer (and writer) Johnny Cash.


Task 2:

1.) Point of view

The poem is written in the point of view of an officer who had fought in the US-Vietnam war under the USAF(United States Air Force) section. He was exposed to the deadly herbicide, Agent Orange, and that has affected his central nervous system. We can sense his anger and discontentment with the US Authorities for using the herbicide in the war, especially because it has affected his central nervous system and hence his mobility. His voice in the poem is dramatised, causing the whole poem to sound like a single harsh criticism of USA's strategies used in war. He also does not speak up for himself, but for the whole community of people who were affected by the herbicide warfare program.

2.) Situation & Setting

Although the poem is a modern piece of literature, focusing on the ongoing problems caused by the herbicide warfare program, it also directs partly to the future implications of it, evident from how the writer states that Americans "will mourn" and future generations "WILL pay" as a consequence of the decision made by the authorities to use the herbicide warfare program. The significance in the poem is how it warns readers about the imminent after-effects of using the "Rainbow Herbicides" and causing the exposure to not only the Vietnamese, but also the Americans. There is no climax or variation of development in the poem, but a consistent strong and critical tone. Through the way it has been written, it is very clear that this is an anti-war poem.

3.) Language/Diction

The title itself is an oxymoron, because rainbows signify the end of a storm and the emergence of the Sun. In this case however, it is linked with death, a stark contrast with what it has been stereotyped as. The poem starts out already criticizing America's efforts in herbicide warfare. A question is then posed, "Now thinking twice?", sounding like an angry, but at the same time, sad sneer. The poem starts to list out the consequences in the second stanza, "illness, birth defects and prematurely dead", "America led astray", "Generations untold WILL pay", before ending and mentioning the cause of all this for the first and last time: "Execrable effects of agent orange spray!"

4.) Personal Response

Although I have never experienced war, nor heard of the "Rainbow Herbicides" before, the poet has succeeded in making me feel angry at the authorities for engaging in herbicide warfare. While doing research on this poem, I cam across pictures of people handicapped or disfigured as a result of exposure to "Agent Orange" . I was, and still am disgusted at how the Americans used herbicides to weaken their enemy, but not actually consider, or perhaps, overlook the consequences of doing so.



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Term 2 Home Learning : Children in the darkness - Henry M Bechtold

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:
Task 1:

Children in the Darkness

There are children in the darkness
Who have not seen the light
There are children in the darkness
Who someone will teach to fight

Chalk and blackboards will not be
 To this door there is no key
 From this life they can not flee
 And these children are not free
Could we simply light a candle
 Could we give them half a chance
 Could we teach them how to read
 Could we teach them how to dance
Or will a war consume them
 Their body and their soul
 Will their life and blood be poured
 Down some endless thirsty hole
Back into the darkness
 From which there is no flight
 Back into the darkness
 Into which there shines no light

Basic information:

The writer of this poem, Henry M Bechtold, is a modern poet who has a great affection for Vietnam. His affection for Vietnam was developed on his visit there from 1967-1968. Since then, he has returned to Vietnam and still frequents her nowadays. On his website, he says that Vietnam fills him with "exquisite joy" at times, but also "breaks my(his) heart", showing the deep emotional connection he and Vietnam share.

Here, the writer shares how he gained inspiration for writing this poem:

"I was sitting in my hotel room in Saigon just before Christmas 2009 and I was trying to write a poem about the girls who work in the park and how badly men treat them. I was angry but unable to write anything that did not sound trite or weak. I looked at the TV and the news was on. I did not know what the news reader was saying but in the background was a photo of a small boy with a helmet and an automatic rifle. This poem flowed out. The words just came to me and I typed as fast as I could to get it all down."


Task 2:

1.) Point Of View

This poem is written from the point of view of bystander, someone who has seen children being equipped for war and is against the idea of doing so. Being someone who feels for Vietnam, the poet is critical of the authorities for training children to go to war. He is upset that the children are forced to take the path that has been set for them, evident from "life they cannot flee" and "are not free", questions the reader, "Could we..." before stating the consequences "Or will a war consume them...", to evoke deep thought about this matter and possibly take action, revealing his functions for this poem. The writing style of the poet is very dramatised, highlighting obviously to readers that his stand is to not allow children to be trained at a young age to go to war.

2.) Situation and setting

The poem is set in a modern context, addressing the prevalent concerns in our society today. Conflict is evident: whether or not children should be trained at a young age to go to war. The conflict can be classified as social conflict. The poet feels that children of a young age should not be trained to go to war, but does not say anything against the idea of war concerning adults. The conflict is not resolved though, leaving readers with questions and thoughts of the problem mentioned.

The poem starts out informing readers about the main concern in the poem, "There are children... There are children...", and goes on to express sympathy for children who do not have a chance to enjoy childhood the normal way in the second stanza: "Chalk and blackboards will not be... And these children will not be free." Questions start to appear in the third stanza, "Could we...", in some way asking for something to be done about this problem. Following that, consequences and implications of not addressing the problem are listed down, "Or will... Down some endless thirsty hole." Wrapping up the whole poem is a solemn and sad statement. "Back into the darkness... shines no light" links back to the first stanza, showing that no progress has been made from the start and that the conflict has not been resolved.

3.) Language & Diction

Different types of figurative language are used to express the situation that the poet wants his readers to see. "Darkness" is used to symbolise unawareness. In "children in the darkness", the writer is trying to tell his readers that the children do not know of the fact that they are being trained to go to war and most probably eventually die. Imagery is also used to describe the fate of the children being trained to go to war. Their "life and blood" are described as a liquid, most probably water, which will be "poured Down some endless and thirsty hole". This can be interpreted as the children never being able to escape death because of what they have been made to go through.

Repetition is used to strike readers time and again with questions to ponder about: "Could we". "Darkness is mentioned twice at the start and twice at the end. The tone of the poem is solemn consistently, except for the 3rd stanza which questions readers.

4.) Personal response

As a reader, I would say that Hechbold's poem has not succeeded in speaking to me the way it was made to. I am able to sympathize for the children, but no to the extent that I would do something about it. Having never experienced war before, it is impossible for me to understand or picture the horror it brings about. Most children, like me, in Singapore have had a comforable or at least satisfying childhood. Hence, we are unable to put ourselves in the position of those who are forced to go to war.

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Interview

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:
Me: What is the first thing that comes to your mind when someone mentions prejudice and discrimination?

Mother: It is something that is negative and one-sided. And generally intolerable and void of respect for the human race.

Me: Void of respect for the human race.. Can you explain more on that?

Mother: Everyone is entitled to their own rights and opinion, and once should not demand or deny another of the right to think otherwise.

Me: How does that link to void of respect for the human race?

Mother: For example, women in general are as capable as men. But if the organisation just employs males and deny the women of the opportunity to serve in society. We should not doubt the capabilites of women.

Me: So you are basically talking about the void of respect of women?

Mother: Not only women, but what I'm highlighting is equal rights. Everyone to me, is important.

Me: I see..

*sister returns home*

Me: Oh hi jie. What's your take on prejudice and discrimination?

Sister: Hmm. I feel that those who say that they are not prejudiced against someone or don't discriminate people, are hypocrites.

Me: Wow. Strong take on the matter.

Sister: Everyone is unique, so we are definitely have some people who dislike or prefer compared to others. It's scientifically proven that our heart is more to the left. That shows that we are not always centralised in our thoughts. I always use that to counter people who accuse me of being biased.

Mother: How do you feel when you are being denied entry to a certain club or activity, due to some prejudices, for this case, against women?

Sister: So be it. I mean, like everywhere there'll be rules, so you have to abide to what they say. Because there definitely has to be a reason why they implement these rules. Maybe this area is very prone to robbery, so they feel it's not suitable, as most ladies would not be able to defend themselves.

Mother: I beg to differ. We must have a fighting spirit to uphold the principled stand that "I am important enough to be heard and treated with dignity."

Sister: By saying that, you are pushing for equal rights. But some rights don't have to be equal.

Mother: Yes they do. Do you like it if a waiter treats you with a bad attitude because you are not wearing your best clothes, while she treats another person better because her dress is very expensive?

Sister: I think dressing is very important.

Mother: That's not the point. My point is, the core value of a person is not based on his appearance. Everyone has to be recognized and affirmed. We will be amazed at how positively people will react if we treat them with fairness and dignity.

Sister: There's nothing about fairness and dignity in this world. You have to work for it, work your way out of it.

Me: ???

Mother: By sheer determination we can prove and champion for equal rights and recognition. So that the Earth will be a better place to live in.

Sister: But sheer determination..

Me: I think that wraps up the interview. Life is unfair, but GOD IS GOOD! (:
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Intrapersonal: a)

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:

If I had a chance to be friends with one of the people in the novel, I would choose to be friends with Arthur Radley(also known as Boo Radley).

Though constantly being perceived to be a bad person by the residents of Maycomb County. However, as the story progresses, the children slowly get in touch with his character and form another type of image in their minds, one of a kind-hearted and caring person, contrary to the image of him painted by the residents. They finally encounter him, when they are attacked by Bob Ewell and he comes to their rescue, and he proves to be the amiable person that they thought he was, especially to Scout, after she was able to have a little conversation with him and was finally able to stand in his shoes.

The reason why I would choose to be friends with Arthur Radley is because he is able to understand the situation of the society and is not afraid to make decisions in spite of knowing that he would be misunderstood and criticized by people around him for that. In the book, he chose not expose himself to the society, due to the fact that he wasn't able to stand the injustice and discrimination that was rampant all around him. He was brave in the sense, that he would rather lead a completely fulfilling and morally upright life without having to experience or witness any biasedness, instead of being able to get out of his house, and leading a more exciting and vibrant life, but at the same time, have to tolerate and live with evils of the world. To be able to make such a major decision and have to pay such an excruciating price, shows how matured and wise a person he is.

He may seem like an anti-social person who is withdrawn from society to someone who doesn't know him well. When you look past that external shell, and into his heart though, you'll find an angel within, glorious and mighty. I would be his friend definitely not because of his charisma or likability, but because he can exercise maturity and deep thought in his actions and decisions. Such people are hard to find, and hence, I would seize the opportunity to be his friend.
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Personality Test

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:
Here is the link and the code for the viewing of my personality results -
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/results/results.cfm
Code: hkm2jpn883382b

My two highest scoring areas are Intrapersonal and Interpersonal. I feel that the test scores are quite accurate in pointing out my two areas of strength. I can say that my Intrapersonal level is high as I know myself well. I know what I want, don't want, what I like, dislike and will usually take action according to how I feel. I am also a very interpersonal person, enjoying the company of friends. I work better in groups, and I also feel more comfortable doing so because I feel good knowing that I am sharing my answers or ideas with other people. Very seldom do you see me choosing to stay at home if I have the time to go out and there is an outing or gathering on on that day.
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Running for your lives: Part 2

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:
Remember me sharing with you about our weekly runs? Well, we just had our cross-country run on Wednesday.

True, I was exhausted and tired out by the run. But that’s not the main point of my blog post. True, we are going to be getting LEAP points from the run. But again, I’m not going to revolve my blog post around my excitement about how the run is going to help in building my portfolio for JC. Instead I’m going to talk about how the run applies to us in our lives.

Let’s split the run up into three stages: the start, the journey and the end. I’ll use a year of schooling as an example, but I believe this can still be applied no matter what you use.

The start, is the part which everyone, or rather, most people would have enjoyed. Everyone was bursting with energy and zest. It wasn’t surprising to see many people person sprinting forward with strength and energy that did not seem to falter. Let’s link this to the start of a schooling year. We are usually excited to be back at school and back with our friends. There isn’t any homework yet so we are all quite relaxed. Apart from getting up early, the days past by effortlessly.

The journey, is the part where things started getting a bit tougher. It seemed like a “sooner or later you get tired” situation, where many people stopped running and started walking. Sounds like us? Definitely. This is the part where the homework, tests and stress start to hit. “Life’s tough” or “I hate school” are common phrases used. The run doesn’t seem that fun now. We just want to give up and take the easy way out. Suddenly, life isn’t fun anymore. In fact, the days pass by so slowly it hurts.

The end, is the part, which I felt was the most difficult part of the run. My energy had been drained off almost completely. Almost everyone was walking. There was a strong temptation to stop running and just walk to the finish line. The end actually very much represents our end of year exams. This computer game is suddenly so attractive and addictive. That book suddenly engages us so much we can't put it down. Are we disciplined enough to do our work, or do we give into temptations which only provide temporary satisfaction and joy. Despite the temptations, I persevered and made it to the finish line, full of fatigue, but proud of my efforts.

Do we take on life with this attitude? Do we persevere on when we are facing problems, or do we decide on taking the easy way out and giving up? Everyone faces temptations. Everyone will feel tired after being exposed to some form of continuous activity which in this case, can be either running or studying. But it’s how you tackle these problems, that is the significant and important part. The choice is ours to make. What do you choose? I choose to press on. I choose to persevere. I choose not to give in to temptation when it strikes me. I choose to be victorious.
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Post-CNY-blues or post holiday blues?

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:
I returned to school, stomach still churning away at the heaps of goodies consumed just a day or two before, tired and bleary eyed, but resigned. What I had been looking forward to for an antagonising one month(or two), had ended abruptly in five days.

Yes, you got that right. I am talking about the Chinese New Year break. Though I must admit that I enjoyed this year's celebrations, I felt that five days just wasn't enough, taking visitations and homework into consideration. Why?

Day 1(Friday): - Morning was whiled away in school for new year celebrations, no work done.
Day 2(Reunion Dinner): - Occupied with entertaining guests(which I enjoyed), one piece of work done.
Day 3(Visiting of relatives, Reunion Dinner): - Out the whole day, no work done.
Day 4(Karaoke at night with mum's family): - Out only in night, second piece of work done.
Day 5(NIL): - Out only in night for dinner, last piece of work done.

Looking at my timetable for a second time, I realise that I am actually quite privileged to have had such a relaxing Chinese New Year. And it's wrong to say the Chinese New Year break was too short. I think without "Chinese New Year", the sentence would still make sense. This being taken into consideration, I realised we as humans, are never satisfied.

Before the end-of-year examinations, everything seems so interesting. You're constantly tempted, for example, wanting to read a storybook instead of revising, or playing a computer game and trying to ascend to the next level. When the end-of-year examinations are over, the book which had seemed so irresistible initially is reduced to dust in less than a week; the computer game suddenly becomes boring and is unable to engage you like it did before. Soon, we are complaining that the holidays are too boring, and are dying to return to school. The first week of school starts well, but when the homework starts to flood in, we start complaining once again, that life is tough and cherish every single holiday we have. Then the end-of-year exams arrive, and the whole cycle starts again.

It's wrong to say that I've gotten the post-chinese-new-year blues. If you would rather, I think "post holiday blues" is a more suitable term. Let's pray I will be satisfied.
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Running for your lives

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:

Run! For your lives! Yes I mean it literally.

We have been having weekly runs, which started last week. When I was young, I did not like(wait, "hated" seems more appropriate)running long distances. Why not?

1.) I feel that it drains my stamina level.
2.) I will feel very warm and sweaty after the run for the whole day.
3.) I will have leg cramps for the next couple of days.

I am sure that many people out there still share my sentiments.
"Running long distances is torture."
"It KILLS me."
"I hate it!"

My perspectives have changed over the year. In fact, running plays a role in keeping your body fit and healthy, and can reduce chances of death through bad health! Listed below are but a few reasons:

1.) Muscle and bone loss: Running actually helps prevent muscle and bone loss in your body
2.) Preventing Diabetes: Running helps to maintain a balance of carbohydrates and sugar in your blood, and hence, helps to diabetes.
3.) Strengthened immune system: Running aids in strengthening one's immune system, making you less prone to falling ill or contracting diseases.

And of course the list goes on. Of course, the basic reasons include weight loss and stamina building. It was really naive of me to think in the way I did when I was young. But who can blame a child who had little or knowledge just a few years ago?

The benefits of running to our bodies and health are numerous. We not only look good, but also feel good. Hence, the statement "Running for your lives" is without a doubt applicable to our daily lives.

Hate running? Think again.
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Debut Post

Author: Mattheus,MrCarLover1A133 // Category:



Before my debut post, I shall just introduce myself a bit. Here are 10 random facts about me.

1.) I am a Christian.
2.) I love listening to music, particularly pop, country and R&B songs.
3.) My favourite singers are Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus.
4.) I love to cycle.
5.) I hate horror movies and ghost stories.
6.) My best friend(s) are my parents. They know all my secrets.
7.) I am crazy about cars and handphones.
8.) Other than Chinese and English, I am learning German and Malay.
9.) My parents do not drive and hence, I feel that being able to own a car is a privilege.
10.) I love blogging. :D

Ok, so that's it about me. These are not really the most important parts of me but just the few that are at the top of my head right now. Like I said, random.:D

Let's talk about 2010 for my debut post. I can safely say that 2010 has been pretty smooth for me so far. That's probably because nothing much around me has changed, so there is no need for adjustment, unlike last year when the stress hit me really hard. I enjoy going to school. And I am happy with my life. However, the introduction of the Future School Programme has made things slightly more difficult for me. Why is that so?

1.) First and foremost, the learning pace has increased. Significantly.
2.) Lots of research and pre-class preparation has to be done. Especially for Maths and History.
3.) The number of temptations around me have increased. Namely, the game Mousehunt.

My resolutions?

1.) Always ask when in doubt.
2.) Don't find time to slack.
3.) To quit Mousehunt. (It's gonna be difficult but I'll try.)

Wish me all the best! All the best to everyone else too! Let's strive together for good results :D


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