A Whole New World at : http://www.kohkoh17.wordpress.com

Updated@9/04/2007 11:57:00 AM

The Realistic Realities of School

Consistency is key to reception, familiarization and retention of facts in schoolwork. I knew that ever since I started studying and have been trying very hard for the past semester to maintain that habit. However, somewhere along the way, I lost it. I guess it was after the breaks. I lost it because I ended up slacking and did not complete the past few (about 5) tutorials for each and every module. That really sux for me. I wasn’t really conscientious in that sense. However, though I did not do the work, I still tried to understand most of the information and facts of the topics through reading and yes, I did understand most of it. Without practice though, my revision might suffer so to speak. It would be a “so-called” harder revision (than the past years) time for the next two crucial weeks. I also found out that coming home too late and sleeping too much were the actions attributing to the problem. I come home at ard 11pm or 12pm, bathe and feel like sleeping, lie on my bed, hoping to wake up in 5 mins, wake up in the morning. I was not tired because I did work, but because I slacked too much. Din know slacking can tire you out, ouch! Successful people seem to sleep only 4 hrs and have the other 20 hrs being as productive as they can be. I want to sleep 4 hrs to, I want to cultivate that habit. Gotta find a way to do it, NLP or sleep-no-jutsu maybe, whatever it is, I will find it. I would think of it as self-restraint, a discipline to sleep less, gotta train the mind to stay awake and do more. I will find a way damnnit, because it is that important for me to get more things done to improve.

Actually, another thing I found out was that my day time is underproductive or not even productive at all. I figured out that maybe it is the Leo Club House that is preventing me from doing my work. Whenever I am there, I seem to have fun (because of the people around having fun?). Fun isn’t bad, but fun being entertainment is bad when you still have other things to complete. Maybe, I will set the afternoon time to go to the library to study instead. That’s what I need to do and I will do it. LCH is a place for fun and project discussion. Yea…
I also feel that I am accountable and responsible for my CCA. As a VP, I have to always keep my mind up and running about what I should do for the club especially with the members. I would say, it would not be easy to “restart” a club with almost nothing much. I am glad that we have “mentors” called Leos from RC as well as Lions who provide sponsorship for the club as well. I did make a promise to myself that I would leave the club with members being interactive, involved and inspired to do more for the club towards reaching the international standard as well as to see themselves develop as individuals. We really cannot do this without the BOD ourselves being bonded as well as sharing ideas and taking action constantly, we need to build up that sense of “we better improve, we better get better”. I still feel that the past 2 months since we gotten our post, 0 has been done realistically. I would like to blame others, but it is my fault too, why can I not be the catalyst for these things to happen? I have a mouth, body and mind and every ability to do so, I guess what I did not have was the Passion for Action! Well, it’s not too late to start now, still have 10 months left in our term, I am here to serve the club and serve it to the best of my abilities I shall.

Another thing I figured out is that I need a system to do things, to get things done. Found out that there are so many things to do in a day that sometimes what you want to do and what you have to do clashes and you cannot seem to prioritize properly. All those are due to the lack of planning and purpose in doing things. So since there’s a good system that is working for others, y not I adopt it for myself. It doesn’t take long to plan the day, maybe 10-20mins, but it could provide me with more objectivity and direction to complete my tasks. I would follow the “Getting Things Done” system by David Allen since it seems so popular (there’s even a cult online for it). Though I haven tried it, I am sure it isn’t perfect. However, I plan to adopt it and tailor it whenever I need to to suite my own style. I could even be making it even more effective. Ok, I shall begin using it starting from today and see what it shall yield in the future =).
I would like to end of giving thanks. I would like to thank my project groupmates and classmates for being so supportive of your own work as well as helping me out. Tricia, Sarah, Vanessa! Thank you all for being there, I thoroughly enjoyed our time working as groupmates on projects together and Wish and hope that next sem, we could be in the same class and work together again. I would like to thank my teachers who are very good in their teaching as I understood most, if not all of what was taught (especially those lectures that I actually attended?). I would like to thank my friends in school for giving me so much fun, by spending time with me and being my support in every single way. Especially Josh, Jackson, Fabian, Kenny, Hong Yi, Tricia, and anyone else whom I missed out. I would like to thank those in SJIMB who worked so hard to make Renaissance Gold a Success, My Juniors, My Batch members, The other Alumni and of course Mr Lim our one and only favourite conductor!

This is the season to study. After studying and completing my exams, a whole new direction will be taken…. With that, Good Luck for Exams and Study Hard!

Thanks with Love,
Kelvin

Updated@8/05/2007 11:05:00 AM

Social Stigma and Stereotype

Today I would like to talk about single-parenthood. Sudden urge to talk about it after watching a tv show on Channel U talking about Single Mothers and single Parenthood, the show was Shoot3. It isn’t a documentary, more like a forum or a talk back session where they brought people who are “experienced” in the topic of the day as well as certain “experts” to give their views on the issues or topic. I was quite interested in the topic of the day as it is somewhat a life experience that I have been going through, being a single child in a single parent family. The show featured 2 women who are single parents. 1 of them chose to become a single parent at a very young age despite being independent, even though the father wanted to take responsibility. The other woman had a baby just a few months back, had her “boyfriend” not wanting to acknowledge her but she still accepts him as a boyfriend and decided to have the baby with her parent’s who accepted the fact and gave her loads of support. Weird thing is, she still goes out with the boyfriend. I would want to recap the whole episode but it’s just too many things that they spoke about, some mattered and some to a small extent. What I learnt from their forum and discussion of the issue is that If you are strong, independent, responsible and “hack care” of what society has to say about single parenthood, knowing that you can manage being a single parent, then you are not only right, but u broke that social stigma. Society has many stigmas and very often, those are wrong, as of such. Single parents can manage, bring their children up and lead a good life also, oh so what for say that “you are a single parent, sure u have many disadvantages”. Not true, especially when some people even choose to be single parents (I just discovered that, weird but true, in the case of the first woman”.

Then we ask, what is the effect on the child? Wouldn’t it be unfair for him/her to live only with a single parent? Won’t he feel that he lacks the love of both parents, only getting love from one? Well, those are true to some extent and differ from case to case, and I shall not talk about all the possible scenarios. Let me give you all a point of view of my case, which is being a single child in a single parent family with my mother leaving my papa with another man leaving me with only father’s love and nvr having a mother in my life. I would admit, life has given thrown me an unexpected yet all the “fateful blessings” not “faithful” of not having a mother and having no mom’s love but I have been doing well, but why? I would summarize it with 2 things. My father’s dedicated and unconditional love (and mine back to him) and my part of believing in myself and belief that I was to be independent and responsible to whatever happens to me in my life. When I was younger, i din really feel that I had any mother’s love, so I guessed I did not need it, and I believed in that, so it did not affect me. The only thing I felt fucked up about was that my father remarried and divorced again, it was the most stupid and most idiotic decision in his life (he admitted and I thought so too), and I had to live through it somemore, ok when I was younger and din understand much it really didn’t matter than, I should have not approved of it but he said I did, wtf, maybe I was that blur eh. Nvm, I forgave him, forgiveness is part of love isn’t it, some more I owe whatever I have now (comfortable living) because my father worked hard, so my understanding and unconditional love is the least I can give back to him =). I dunno how much else I can love him, except unconditionally as he has to me =). Also, he holds no expectations on me since I was young, everything I was, did, am are made from my own decisions, and he reinforced that along by giving me independence and freedom to do whatever I want and what I want. My father is a person who seems to be good at many things also, tt’s y I kinda look up to him, except for his bad habits like not drinking water and being quite obnoxious at times whee! He is so capable la, from interior designing to massage to taxi driving, colourful and great career, considering the fact that now he is half working and half retired but fully happy =). Only thing is that he has gotten another woman as a girlfriend. I don’t hold much against that, but my feelings do. That sux yea, but I can control it. So I thought of him giving me freedom as I should have give him also and I told myself, aiya, let him be. Thankfully, my father at least got a bit of taste, choose a very nice woman. Just that I can’t stand the fact of her being so nice, buying me foodies and stuff to makan and all but she herself is broke, DEAD BROKE. Btw, her daughter’s an ass who fucks care about almost everything, very intelligent but misusing intelligence, lousy ingraining of character I guess, then again, the mother seems to be “controlled” by her. Aiya, tt one I can’t help much also. Blah, enough of her, that one another long story. The other only thing I was pissed off about is that my father goes and sleeps in her house. That’s fucking sian. Cause he’s not sleeping in my house and he’s my father. That was my initial thought. Coming to think of it, I think I long accepted that also, cause next time I will make sure I stay with my wife and let my father stay wherever he wishes (even in my house), hopefully still with the same woman lol. Another thing is, whenever my father is at home, my grandma outbursts like a mad dog barking the whole day and night, so I rather my father go sleep somewhere else, he has his peace, I have mine and my grandma shutsup for a certain period of time. My feelings are that, I can’t avoid it, so just accepted it but that’s it, doesn’t really play an integral part in my life. Well, that is current issues, back to the topic and my summary of it.
I realized I am who I am today because of my experiences which in fact made me a better, stronger person despite not having the love of a mother. I would not call it lack now. It’s just another way of life that I have to live. Anyway, I was fortunate to have a sane, healthy and loving father and every circumstance that I felt fortunate and blessed to have for me to carry out my daily routines, make my own decisions. There is not shit like diseases or natural disasters or deaths in my family that nor is there anything I consider too drastic in my life. With that good fortune, all is well, looking forward to an even better life ahead =)!

Live fully, Live strong, Live Life with Love! <3

Thanks,
Kelvin

Updated@7/27/2007 12:59:00 AM

Reminiscence Renaissance and SJIMB

How often do you people miss something, some place, some people, some situations and really want to get back to doing something? That’s what I felt for the past few months. I missed SJIMB, I missed my band, I missed my horn and hornists, I missed the discipline we had, I missed my batch mates, I missed concerts, I missed SYF, I missed my conductor, I missed band jogs, I missed leading in band etc etc to carry on the list, a million and one things I missed about my life in band. After 1 and a ½ years of band inactivity, I had my chance to go back as an alumni and relive some experience of band. Alumni’s were called to play especially for the 50th anniversary of SJIMB. 50 years, my band has really come a long way. As our famous band “cheer” goes “From our humble beginnings since the day we were born, onward and upward we moved on and on, Am I looking back we’ll always grow, onward and upward the best we will show, we’re the ones the best you can see, mighty man of the SJIMB! We’ll Stand for our Rights, we’ll fight till the end, we’ll always be true to our band!” I really missed those times we got to sing that while jogging and during band toasts after AP and Renaissance. Well, I told myself I would go back and play for our Renaissance Gold concert to commemorate our 50th anniversary and I did so, dedicating time off my busy schedule in poly, it was real worth it, the concert was a blast, especially for the alumni. We had practices like 2 times per week at night for 2 months and I did go back 90% of the time to play. Mr Lim (our conductor) came back to conduct, after he left the band when my batch passed out. I really respect him. Haha we came back to play freestyle music again and man did we enjoyed ourselves. Just to share a bit about the music learning experience I had with him as a conductor. During my 4 years as a bandsman, learning music did not seem so static. I did not have theory lessons, I did not need to train day and night, our conductor was a nice man who joked a lot and believed that music expression was free and there are certain styles that needed to be “felt” rather than playing “straight”. Anyways, he din teach music conventionally, it was more really artistic expression and fun, many bands lack that as we noticed. Ahha anyway, too much to talk about. Cut to the chase. I am really proud to see my juniors grow up so quickly, especially the two of them who were under us ( my section members). Haha when they came into band when I was sec 3, never did I expect them to become top 7. What happened, they turned out to be one Drum Major (Ian Chai) and one Quarter Master Sergeant (Zhi Bin). I really really really proud of both of them. Ian somehow is a very motivated fellow right from the start, Zhibin grew from shy and quiet to be capable and outspoken, still remaining quite cute lol. Now their big boys who took command and lead the band for the past year and passed out already. Although I wasn’t with them during the time they lead, I am sure they did their best and we had when my batch was leading (except for some screw ups and teacher issues). However well they did, band has transformed, and somehow when I went back, it felt more relaxed and somewhat “soft”. We became from really military with all the shouting, commanding, fast and furious in our actions and decisions, strict corporal rules and punishments to quiet, relaxed, not so fast, less strict and barely anymore corporal punishment. Imagine this, we had to be at “watch it” (keep ABSOLUTELY still and at attention) a lot of times during the day and get pumped for being too slow to barely any “watch it” and pumping I did not hear, feel or see very much. Even though I have not gone back so often, that’s what is the feeling the band gives me now. However, it is from an outsider POV now since I am out and rarely seen them but yea, that’s just the feeling. Ian told me that he wants the band to be like a Band of Brothers, like family, somewhat like my section during the time I was in band. I think he should have fulfilled that and I am proud of that.

What I wanna muse about is the way the school is transforming and changing the systems of how the school works and CCA functions, I bet it’s their doing, their in control afterall. Seriously, as we go into the future, paradigm shifts are not only fast but also somewhat dramatic and revolutionary. 1 year I left and many things we had seemed lost or taken away. I am not blaming the leaders at all, cause I feel that they did a good job, but it is the control the school has that has determined and decided many things upon CCA’s. Tradition will stay, but it seems like the culture is changing. Students are becoming more spoilt and guai, Suffering is therefore abolished in schools as it is deemed too harsh, they believe that they are other ways that are “proper” and “safe” for the students. After going through what I gone through, I believed that I experienced the time of my life in band. It was through the harsh punishments and suffering that helped instill discipline, made me more daring to do things, be more man, lead confidently and see things and people from different perspective. Being truly military like in the army or even stricter as we were built bonds like no other. Imagine, my batchmates we so tight that we meet up every morn, have food during recess together, meeting up in the bandroom, going out. It was that tight and I strongly believe that it is through the experience of a true military band that can bring about that kind of bond. I really missed those times as they have molded friendships and character in all of us.
Anyway my tribute shall be to my juniors who are passing out real soon, after their O’s. Especially to Ian and Zhibin. Both whom I look up to. I actually look up to them, they have done things I did not have a chance to as the chance was given to them and I did not work hard enough for my chance. They truly have gone through the SJIMB experience and going further to become leaders and done a great job. Cheers!

Renaissance Gold was an enjoyable concert. Though it was stupid that the school invited the sec 1’s and 2’s who made a lot of fucking noise. No concert discipline as an audience. Disgrace themselves and in some point, our schools rep since there were outsiders attending the concert. Absolutely did not show any appreciation of the arts and disrespected our band with their fucked up attitude during the concert. At least Ian tried his best trying to “stop” and “prevent” them from coming, but school superiors making the decisions turned a blind, deaf eyes and ears to his petition and pleas. Nvm, hope next Renaissance they the school know what to do and not be so stupid to try something so stupid as to invite the sec 1’s and 2’s down. With that note, I would like to end this post.

Thanks,
Kelvin.

Updated@7/25/2007 02:36:00 AM

Not So Crazy Afterall

Yesterday seemed to be quite tiring with a presentation and a test going on.
The presentation i would say, wasn't that great as i expected it to be. I was not great because it wasn't planned to be. I shall be honest and say that i did not put in my effort to make it an even more interesting presentation. Yes, the presentation was boring, no doubt about that, felt that i could have done more esp with the ppt slides. Well, that's that. most probably get a B for it but it's alright, there's always the Exams to catch up =). My class is really too free. all 3 groups did roleplays, somemore Fabs group had quite a long one, like more than 5 mins, with script somemore. Wonder where did they find the time, nvm, at least they will get an A.

For the CMA common test. I felt that i did not study hard enough, esp for the last chapter Relevant/Irrelevant Costing. I spend only abt 1 to 2 hrs of productive studying time. Skimmed through the first few chapters. During the test, i felt that it wasn't a tough paper to tackle (as usual, they nvr make it too tough). I would not get full marks, but most probably an A. Did make some careless mistakes here and there, and i dunno whether my relevant costing question was right. anyway, still, an A is in sight. goody. Realised also that my attention to detail isnt tt great yet. My careless mistake was because i missed out on a small detail that mattered for the calculation. blang! Sheesh. nvm, outlook is good.

Today is ECD. It starts at 5pm. Now it is 1130 am. I haven studied. Wonderful. We'll see how things go =). I will start studying. I have the confidence =). It's only ECD afterall, how hard can it get.

Bleah. after today, tml will be exciting. Deciding on the Business we're gonna start, develop and grow. woot! Intringued. Excited. Learnt a new word tt is cool and applicable. Serendipity = making unexpected discoveries. Haha trusting urself to think and make such discoveries are great, it might always lead to something better.

kk, shall get going.

With Love,
Kelvin

Updated@7/12/2007 11:30:00 AM

Crazy

Now i am kinda crazy. I slept 6 hrs, got no work done and It's 815 am. I am blogging. Later i Have CMA common test which i haven studied for, luckily it is at 5 pm or was it 530, dang i aint even sure. BUT! I am gonna trust myself to get FULL MARKS as it is there for the taking. I am Gonna start studying right NOW! CONFIDENCE and SELF EFFICACY. Yea can rely on those, it's as though i understand all of the content man! woot! Later still got HRM presentation which is gonna be great, as usual my group will PWN The class. We WILL! must wear formal, kinda hot though, yea i know, i am hot!

Woot. Ok this is PRE the day of tests. Time to "show hand" my wonderful abilities to do well again!
Shall report back how things went afterwards. Time is 817. Tata

Updated@7/11/2007 08:12:00 AM

Well Well, almost another month already since i last blogged, woosh, tt's fast, time flies weee..
I have been and ever more shall be inspired, motivated and raging with passion to succeed. I love achievement and the process towards it. Now, let me start by talking about school.
School doesn’t feel like school anymore. Some things are easy, some things are tough, school is plain stupid. All this while, say 11 years in the traditional education system, I found that I have been learning nothing much, and tt’s the truth of my heart. When talk about school, I mean class. Pri 1 to Sec 4. It was a experience of a draggy lifetime, classroom = boring. The reason ain’t the teachers, the reason ain’t the subjects, the reason IS THE SYSTEM. I feel like I am a victim of the system. Well, of cause, after I discovered that, I plan to take steps to be a victor of a better system. The school system goes like this, you study, get good grades, advance to the next level, poly, university then go work. Yea the aim is to go work? Work as this, work as that, pick up a JOB. Pathetic. How do we learn? There is some explanation on a certain subject, do homework, study study study and then go and get good grades for exams, you are judged based on this system of “meritocracy” or “you better study hard and do well” system. Does that sound enticing and fun? I think it’s fun if u are nuts. I mean, how can we develop ourselves by studying hard, esp the things we’re absolutely not interested in. oh man, so de ja vu, I think I already talked about this in some post in the previous year. Ok, nvm shall talk about the clip I saw from www.ted.com which reinforced what I think. It was about creativity and schooling. This Sir from England was talking about how we cannot continue with traditional schooling simply because it is rendered useless for some, or most of us, also, stagnates and halts talents from developing. He mentioned about a certain Grace, some talented dancer who choreographed CATS musical and others, who is now a multimillionaire because of dance. If her mother did not bring her to a “doctor” to identify that her child was a child dancing prodigy, would she have founded her company and bring entertainment and nurturing other talents in that area to the world? No! Her mom took the chance, stopped her from schooling, and let her talent develop and soar by bringing her to a dance school, not lay waste by continuing in the education system. Another thing he talked about was the fact that the school system was tailored for the industrialized age, for people to gain that knowledge to fit those jobs. Currently, we’re in the Information age, or “attention age” as described by Rich Schefren. We have tons of information. Is there a need for exams? Neh, we can just pluck information from the internet, the right ones of course, make use of them to lead a fulfilling life. It can be of any areas of interest and passion. Anyway to summarise this bit, What I feel is that school should be adapted to each individuals talent. Children should be nurtured from young to find their own interest or passion or even “god-given” talent to further develop upon. And I see why many are not interested in studying.. cause there’s no passion for it! We need a different system of education to replace the current one. We need a paradigm shift. It is not as though we cannot do it, it’s whether the govts are willing to go for change. Radical, but possible, risky? i can write a book on this, blah. The most impt things I learnt were outside the classroom, so it proves a lot. In what I learnt outside the classroom moulded my character.

Next is to talk about CCA’s. What a relief, Wealth of Love is Over already. Wanna thank everyone who put in the hardwork for that. Esp the Enthu Kias like Jeremy, Yvonne, Joshua etc. Respect to them man! Oh la! So many to count. Well, my turn to count money when the receipts come in, that’s for later. This few month’s of planning has been quite a scary yet fulfilling one. Seeing so many people working so hard just to get things done, makes me want to put in the effort too. Guess it’s just natural for me. I learnt quite a lot from it especially from the seniors who not only painstakingly plan, but also made some sacrifices to carry out and execute certain tasks. Well, the next one will be a bigger role for us as BODS. We have taken over the reins, now it’s time to reform. Club Structure, Club Membership, Club Programmes, Club Projects all have to be set and get going. My role in Leo will be a leader/advisor to the juniors or members because subsequently, I have to focus on other things. Let’s talk about SIFE. It has been absolutely inactive, ineffective and dead for the past half a year and no one seems to be doing anything or has done anything about it? Y? I would like to blame people but no. I din do a good job then, din carry out the project and that somehow caused a stall. But seriously, the main thing is that the stall was due to ineffective leadership. I dun wanna mention names, might get people and myself into trouble. Anyway, moving ahead, we will have big plans rolled out and carried out. Hopefully by the next 2 months especially after our exams. That’s another story to be continued after initiation. Rest assured, I will dedicate myself and do more than what I can to start, do and complete to the best of my abilities.

Time to take action. Decided already, start business with Josh and gang. We recently got a lobang or biz opportunity to become partners with a certain company and invest only our time and effort to get the platform to market some high end products going. The terms and conditions have not been thoroughly discussed yet. We have not agreed to anything. But we will. I Do not know much because I have not done anything yet. But it’s shall just take this leap and start. What’s ahead I dunno, but we will plan it =0. Time to Lift off! Another one is the biz we’re gonna start, most prob with events or seminars with kids. That will be decided this week and carried out during hols after we get the grant. Guess we just gotta do it man. Well, we’ll see how things turn out.

To end this post, I feel that I am blessed. Blessed by those who have entered into my life and continue to thrill, excite, entertain, teach, learn etc etc. My friend’s in school, my family who includes my father, my grandmother (though I have not been treating her too well cause she pisses me off). I would say I am very happy with my everyday life, and I am so thankful for that.

Love ya all,
Kelvin

Updated@7/10/2007 12:37:00 AM