Just for one moment...

I love to cook! I really do. I feel that it gets my mind off everything else happening around me. It is my source of happiness and my reason to rejoice. I practically try to be involved in every single thing taking place in the kitchen. For most or if not all the weekends, I would cook lunch and maybe even dinner. It's basically the only thing I am good at.

It's just that one moment of peace and harmony, my precious eternity. Oh how I wish that I could cook for my whole life and not study at all! I would sometimes imagine the countless number of hours sitting down at the table revising my school work, and then ponder about the things I could have cooked using the same amount of time. I would wish that we were given a day of 25 hours, with that one extra hour for us to be still and indulge ourselves in the things we enjoy doing. Oh how I wish we had "Home Econs" in our school. Some people say that it gives us the most important life skill of all-learning how to cook to survive.

Many a times I would wish for that one moment in life when time just stops. When time waits for everyone to finish whatever that they enjoy doing before facing the challenges of tomorrow.

Our Lord God had given each and everyone of us unique talents, yet why can't we spend time to maximise them? To let them reach their full potential. Maybe our school should have a "Hobby Day" which is a day dedicated for us to carry out with our hobbies. If the future looks towards everyone specialising in something, then why are we all still cooped up with doing the things for the sake of getting the grade? Just think, if you only had one last hour to live on this Earth, what would you do?

Research on Mockingbird's habitat.

a. Do a research on the natural habitat of mockingbird. In your research, include the kind of flora and fauna you think exist in Maycomb and explain why the mockingbirds live in Maycomb.

What are Mockingbirds?

The state bird of Texas,Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.

They are members of the Mimidae family, a group of American passerines that also includes thrashers, tremblers, and New World catbirds. The Northern Mockingbird is the most well known representative of it's family. Northern Mockingbirds have grey tops and the underside of their wings are white in colour. There are white patches on it's wings in the shape of bars, their tails long and black, with white outer feathers.

They are often mistaken for Shrikes which are another species of birds. The mockingbird has a white patch and two white bars on each wing while a Shrike has one bar of white stripe and no white patches. This can be observed during flight. It is hard to tell between a male and a female mockingbird. Generally, mockingbirds will live for 4 to 12 years. The eggs of the birds are blue-green in nature with unusual brown markings on them. The birds make their nests low towards the ground, which is like an open cup of grass and twigs with rootlets scattered densely.

Mockingbirds can be found in most of the continental United States from southern Oregon through northern Utah to Newfoundland and south to Mexico. They live in the open grassy areas, stream side thickets, farmlands, bushes, edge of open woods and desert brush. They also dwell in gardens particularly if any winter berries are available.

I guess from here, we can picture what Maycomb County looks like in the story-various open areas, contains many shrubs and thickets, and nice and sunny. It can also be deduced that many families in Maycomb County plant many small shrubs and berry bushes in their garden- attracting Mockingbirds to the area. Mockingbirds generally live quite close with humans and share the same environments.

In the story, it's a sin to kill them as they are harmless and sing just to attract a mate. It's also well known for mimicking other bird's calls from various species! The bird can easily have 25-35 songs in its repertory. Smart bird!

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/tropical_neotropical_birds/104075
http://www.articlealley.com/article_644489_54.html
http://www.nhptv.org/NATUREWORKS/mockingbird.htm
Picture: courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Newspaper Article about the fire incident

2. Write a newspaper article / report on an incident that happened in the novel.

Just hours ago, a fire broke out in Maycomb County. At around 2a.m. in the early hours of the day, the entire town was woken up by fumes of smoke bursting out from Ms. Maudie's house, to be exact, her dining-room.

Men dressed in pyjamas, some half-dressed, flooded the streets, each trying his best to save the house on fire. There was a whole line of men lining up from Ms. Maudie's house to the yard across the street, desperately hoarding out furniture. Battling the flames.

"Help him! Someone help him!" Were the cries from the residents around the area. The reason being that as a fellow resident of the village was way up in Ms Maudie's house, hurling furniture out of the window. Continuous shouts could be heard throughout the entire Maycomb County, "Come down from there, Dick! The stairs are going! Get outta there, Mr. Avery!" Luck was not in favour of them at times as the old firetruck failed to respond and function properly, having huge crowds of men urging it forward by hand.

Minutes later, Mr. Avery made a heroic ascend down the house, but slipped and fell on shrubbery. Thank God he was safe. The time was 4.17a.m., the sun was coming up and the men started backing away from the house. The fire was well into the second floor and had eaten it's way to the roof: window-frames were charred black against a vivid orange centre.

The hoses continued to let out strong gusts of water as finally, a firetruck from Abbotsville came to the rescue. The fires licked the other neighbouring houses relentlessly, one by one attempting to consume them. The Abbotsville firetruck began pumping water on the houses, slowly dousing the fire. Maycomb County were then at peace.

Some of the residents were later interviewed. We asked if their house was affected by the fire and how they felt:

"My, my. This sure was one heck a night! Anyway, I hated that old cow barn. Thought of settin' fire to it a hundred times myself, except the'd lock me up."" I guess it caught...probably the flue in the kitchen. I kept a fire in there last night for my potted plants."

"Yessum. It burnt bit of my roof off!"replied Ms. Jean Louise Finch, daughter of Atticus Finch.

For now Maycomb County rests, while the Sheriff and company carry out further investigation on this matter.

Multiple Intelligence test

Post your learning profile on your blog and write in no less than 100 words the implications or what you feel about the Multiple Intelligence test.

I kind of agree with Jonathan Koh on this one. Is just a mere 40 questions going to determine your whole life? There are people who actually take Multiple Intelligence Tests and decide on their career based on their results. AKA, their entire future rests in the accuracy of the results!

When measuring one's intelligence, it should only be based on some "javascript written programme". In real life, your employers will ultimately be humans, not computers or robots(however, the time may come when robots do the work....). People judge you based on their first impressions, past achievements and so on. So what if almost all your aspects are below average? In the working life, it also boils down to one's determination, hard work and graciousness. As long as you meet the requirements of your boss, then your fine.

The test may not be entirely correct also because of the state which one is in while taking the test. If one is in a good mood, then his self-esteem may be higher and will think more highly of himself. Vice versa for when one is in a bad mood. The results will not give you an honest judgement of oneself as your mind is always in total control and not your heart.

In all, you judge yourself. Everyone must at least have a bit of confidence in oneself. Everyone s intelligent just in different aspects. So don't be put back by the results, just continue to work hard and believe in yourself-you will be bound for success.

Assertiveness

I had a rather horrible week. The main contributing factor was that my group was given a "0" for my Chinese Drama test.

I was extremely emotional towards that decision, anger started flooding up within me at that same moment. During that day, we were suppose to present our Chinese Drama performance to the teacher to be graded, my group was nearly ready, only lacking the confidence to present. One by one, groups went up to present their plays in front of a rather rowdy audience. It was quite evident that some groups did not even prepare at all and somehow managed to get away with it by putting on an impromptu play. When it came to our turn, our group decided that we postpone our performance to a later date. But unfortunately, the teacher was very upset and failed us; saying that we failed to seize hold of the opportunity.

I am sorry but I felt that that was not fair at all! We were the only few groups which actually prepared for it while some groups just came up with a rather shordy piece of work. Yet, they managed to pass! I was quite surprised by that matter. I am sure some would agree with me that the teacher's grading was a little unfair. It was quite clear in the difference in standards. Although I must say that there were groups which prepared hard for it and they definitely deserve their grade.

In my opinion, if one is going to do a shordy piece of work then might as well not do it! If you are going to waste the teacher's time in grading you then why bother? I am sorry if this seems harsh but i guess it's only fair that the good be rewarded and vice versa for those who did nothing. Like what my previous SSG said, "Do it once do it good!" I would rather not present than go up and make a complete fool of myself! What's the point?

But I guess that's life...

In life, if one is not assertive, then he or she will never gain anything. My group failed to be assertive and therefore forfeited the whole thing. My father told me a short story to further emphasize this point--if everyone sits in a car and only one person is driving. He does not where he is going but continues to drive. The rest of them just sit in the car and assumes that he knows where he is going. Before long the car ended up in the Johor Causeway instead of Marine Parade. Well, this may not be the best of analogies but it still serves it's purpose-one must be assertive in life, regardless of whether you have made the right decisions or not. If they are wrong, then learn from them! At least that's the one thing I take away with me from that day onwards.

In conclusion, it's all about choosing your own path and not let Plate Tectonics get the better of you! (I miss Sec 1 Geography :)

So maybe the Chinese Drama teacher did the right thing after all. What do you think?

Bonds...

We often forget the true meaning of Chinese New Year. We get so distracted with the food, red packets and the card games. It's simply all about family reunion. During the festive season, we meet up with long lost friends, and get to know more about our cousins and distant relatives, even cousins that you didn't even know were yours!

Ushering in the New Year together, as one big family, leaving no one out.

Leaving no one out.

We must acknowledge how fortunate we are to have family members all live in the same country, with every house easily accessible. No need for the long distance travelling, jamming at the causeway etc. The sad thing is that there are people whom we may know of, who are unable to return home. Everyone longs to return home. Long to visit our mothers and fathers after a tiring year working in the city; to have that privilege to bow down before them and pay respect to them. To reassure the parents- “My son still loves me. He will never forget me..."

But the thing is, it's snowing during this period of time in China. Planes are unable to take off, flights are cancelled or delayed. My pity for these people does not end here, but to sympathise with their parents or loved ones waiting back home, unwilling to start their dinner, knowing that their father has not come home yet.

They cry. Their tears flowing down the table, with eyes staring at the empty seat in front of them.

The blizzards will die down, the snow will eventually settle, but the love for ones loved ones will not perish. The bonds bound together will never break. People are still going back even after a month after Chinese New Year!

My heart belongs at home. I may not return home in time but the snow and the blizzards will never take my heart away from you. Away from my home.


HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Man of Contrary

Have you ever come across a time when you suddenly had brainwaves on what to write but then let them slip away before you could take them down? I have.

I guess what got me writing again is the time. Time is running out. It waits for no man. Destroys our plans.

But if things are planned, then how does time affect my plans? I do not know. A well planned time table will not include any problems of a lack of time or too much free time at a go...

I do not know...We are too stupid. We scored all A1s for the tests; we were last in the level for the year end LA exams. Our class was even chosen to be part of the FSP programmes. To add on to that, no one played any computer games in class!

Everyone in my class produce good and honest work. Even so that even reading period was dedicated for us to copy other people’s work! We are extremely skilled in the art of doing things unnoticed. The laptops are all closed during reading period as well.

Everyone loves History. We have a wonderful teacher and are given ample amount of time to complete our assignments. But (the only “but” you shall see) why is Science so similar?

Everyone is brilliant! Everyone’s’ responses during LA lessons are lightning fast! Our class is extremely bonded. Everyone is helpful and caring for one another. “My pain is not your gain! My gain is not your gain!”

Have you ever come across a moment when you suddenly had brainwaves on what to write but let them slip away before you could take them down? Well I have not had them even once!